Unwanted Betrothal
by Battygirl
Summary: I'm glad people still like this! Sorry for the wait! Please R&R & tell me what ya think! Part III up! Major revisal on the way!
1. Part I Prologue

**A/N: I had another idea of how Shobu & the others would meet Yin-Yang & this is just the prologue, so please read it & tell me what u think of it! Thanx!**

**Also, a couple o' assholes on here decided to down the story for one FRICKEN phrase in here so I'm fixing it to get these fuckers off my case! So here's the revised version. I'll also be rewriting the REST of the story as well, so please keep reading if the next chapter says I've updated it.**

**Luv,  
Battygirl**

**P.S: I'd like 2 give a thanx 2****Star AJT 84**** 4 an insult that shall b used on Jamira somewhere along the line in this story! So Thanx!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN DUEL MASTERS or the Vampaneze or any other reference to other shows, books, or other media in this story. I will not be putting this disclaimer in all chapters so pay the fuck attention to this one dammit!

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Unwanted Betrothal

Part I

**Summary**

This is another way for Shobu and the others to meet Yin-Yang, whose name I've now changed for the revisal. Her name is now simply 'Yang'. I really wanted to change it a little and I kind of _**messed the fuck up**_ (happy now bitches?) on the Prince's name so I had to change it the best I could...anywho, if you like the changes please tell me okay? Anyway...this is pretty much a story about my character Yang who is trying to get out of a betrothal to Prince Irving. Jamira is…well…was her servant, Shobu won't shut the fuck up, and she's facing a threat of Vampaneze attack. You need to read to find out more really...

**Prologue**

This is _my_ version of what happened after Shobu had dueled and had beaten the princes of each civilization except Darkness _and_ in my version; they follow him to the realm of Darkness to see him get killed by the ruler. When he arrives in the Darkness civilization, however, our 'hero' finds something (or should I say, _someone_) that really surprises him.

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**A/N: I know... (sarcasm) Real Long Chapter! Anyway please review so I'll know if you like the revisal!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Queen of Darkness

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 1: The Queen of Darkness

A short boy with skunk-like hair pranced happily in front of a gang of princes and his traveling companions. The smallest boy hung onto the olders' lavender shirt as he followed him, ready to cry his eyes out as they looked on fearfully behind his large, round glasses. Jamira, a little, leprechaun looking boy looked suspiciously frightened as well as they walked. He, Shobu, Rekuta, and their forth member, Kokujo, were walking through the Darkness Civilization land while being led by the four P.L.O.O.P. Princes. Kokujo, the tallest of the newcomers rolled his eyes at the fearful looks from Rekuta and Jamira, his midnight blue hair billowing behind him along with his black cloak.

The Powerful Loyal Order of Princes—A.K.A; the P.L.O.O.P.s—seemed to share a look of concern as they followed the four before them. The ruler here was unmerciful and it's not as though they were entirely welcomed! They all turned to their blond-haired, scarecrow-like member unsurely. The ruler surely didn't want _him _there! The Darkness Lands and Light Land were almost always at war…well…they all were really. The ruler hated them all. But, here they were, making their way through the Darkness lands. Shobu had wasted no time in dueling and defeating the guardians of the portals to the Dark realm he now walked through and had already obtained the right cards to enter the world engulfed in darkness.

"So, exactly where is the ruler of this realm?" Shobu exclaimed as they walked on, "I can't wait to take him down!"

The princes look from one another smirking.

"Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough..." Prince Melvin, a blue-haired, somewhat stern man, answered as he smiled maliciously.

Kokujo cocked an eyebrow, knowing that it was unwise to really trust these 'Princes', though, he didn't trust anyone for that matter. The group walked on until they came to a large, frightening castle. Behind a door bearing different creatures of the realm, organ music could be heard playing softly as of now (1). Little Rekuta hid behind Shobu out of fear as he stared up into the dark door.

"A-Are you sure w-we got the r-r-right p-place?" he asked in a frightened voice.

"Of course, we come and visit this one many times"; Prince Wilbur, a plump man with what looked like a leaf colored afro reassured smiling as maliciously as Prince Melvin, causing Kokujo's suspicions to rise ever higher.

They walked in (the Princes thinking they could just do as they please in this home...morons...) and soon approached a throne room. Inside and to the side, there was a figure practically hovering over the giant organ, playing like no tomorrow and throwing her head back when the music climaxed. Beside her, a tiny object, that resembled a locket or a music box played along with her. Her hair was long and straight and as black as a raven's wings in flight. From what they could see she was very pale. She was wearing a rich violet, velvet cape over her ghostly shoulders. Delicate, slender fingers flew over the keys, stopping only to produce the amazingly deep blasts of music. They could all tell she was deep in a trance-like state and remained silent...well all of them…except Shobu.

"Konnichiwa!" he exclaimed in that annoying tone, "I'm Shobu!!"

The girl paid him no notice and continued playing, her eyes closed.

"Hello!" Shobu tried again, "I'm talking to you!"

"I know you're there," she spoke, her voice cold and bitter, sending chills down their spines as though they'd walked through a cold mist.

She'd not missed a beat with her organ either when she answered. She just kept playing. Once the song had ended, and the tiny music box had closed, she turned and opened her eyes. Crimson eyes glared daggers at Shobu, burning into his very soul as she stood and walked over to him. They were now able to see all of her and saw that she looked no older than fifteen and looked no taller than Kokujo. She wore under the cloak, a tight, black tank-top and black jeans. On her feet were black converse shoes tied tightly. The clasp that held her cloak in place, they saw, was violet, with the Darkness Civilization Land symbol emblazoned upon it. She also had a few piercings, three on her right eyebrow, one in her nose, one in her lip, and then three in each pointed ear…wait! 'Pointed?'

"That's better," Shobu smiled brightly, totally ignoring her angered expression, "So...what's your name, what's your favorite color, your favorite food, favorite animal and do you want to be my friend?!?!"

The raven haired girl cocked an eyebrow at him and put a hand on her hip before replying in her gravely voice.

"In this order," she snapped, "Yang, black, blood, ravens, and Hell no."

Shobu looked slightly taken aback, but continued anyway, as thought nothing had happened.

"Well," he began unsurely, "like I said, my friends and I are trying to find the guy who runs this place. So if you could just direct us to him we can be on our way. So do you know the ruler or what?"

Yang turned to the P.L.O.O.Ps and glared at them.

"You did not tell them?" she asked.

"No mistress," Wilbur replied, gazing away from her stare, "We did not."

"What're you guys talking about?" Rekuta asked shakily.

"You want to know who the ruler of this realm is ne?" she began calmly. "You're looking at her."

"What?" Shobu gasped, "_You_ can't be the ruler of Darkness! You're just a girl!"

Her expression changed dramatically from ticked off to pure malice at his words. She threw her hand out, summoning a scythe with her elemental prowess and prepared to render Shobu's head clean from his shoulders when they saw and heard a man in a black cloak come up to her.

"Hey Yang, have you finished playing the song of the dead yet?" he asked, his voice resembling that of Norm McDonald.

Said girl glanced over at him and then back to her intruders.

"Yes father," she spoke slowly and calmly, "However, I'm afraid these…'humans' interrupted me..."

The man in the cloak shook his head before taking note of the sickle in her hands.

"What do you plan on using my scythe for, Yang?" He exclaimed.

"No offence sir, but, why do you own a scythe?" Shobu asked, confused.

The girl's father looked over at him as if though he had two heads.

"Kid," he began his voice rising, "you're lookin' Death in the face! I need that scythe for my god-forsaken job!"

Shobu looked over at Yang, obviously surprised.

"Your dad is the Grim Reaper!" he exclaimed staring at her.

"Yes...what of it!" she spat back angrily.

"Well, I'm just curious as to how him and your mom-" he began, but was cut off by her dad.

"You don't need to know that!" Death snapped back.

She looked to him with a wicked smile.

"Iie, father," she began, "it's ok, we can tell them what I am. In fact that's probably wiser. The smart challenger always finds out what he's getting himself into before agreeing to a battle."

Death sighed.

"You see," he began, "Her mother was a full vampire, in other words, the only creature that wouldn't die from my touch. Yang here is a half-vampire"

Their eyes widened as she bared her fangs and picked her teeth with her nails, which they now noted were painfully sharp and menacing.

"Now get out of my home before I feed you to my creatures!!!" she exclaimed.

"Now hold on a second Yang", Grim shook his head, earning a glare from his daughter, "Now, you know I'm trying to turn over a new leaf and be more hospitable from now on right?"

"Yes…" Yang nodded, though showing doubt as she stroked her chin, "I know. I'm still quite curious as to why, but I know."

"Well..." Death began to grow uncomfortable, "I'm getting on in years, and well, when you're married, you'll gain my powers and become the new Grim Reaper—the new Death—so I'd like to be a little kinder to our visitors."

"You've gotta be shitting me!" Yang hissed angrily, under her breath.

"Well, it's getting kinda late," he explained, "I thought, maybe we could let them spend the night-"

"HELL NO!!" Yang snapped back angrily, "HOW DARE YOU EVEN CONSIDER LETTING THESE OUTSIDERS STAY HERE?!?"

"It'd only be for the night," he responded calmly, "And that kid's obviously here for a duel, why not, since I _know_ the sun will be rising soon anyway, you let him rest up, you do the same, and then you'll be ready to duel tomorrow?"

Yang nodded, deep in thought, and finally gave in.

"Fine," she nodded, crossing her arms and walking back to her organ, "but the Princes must leave."

"About that…" Grim laughed lightly.

Yang sighed in angst and turned to him as she stood in front of the stool that sat before the keys.

"They're staying aren't they?"

"Yeah, and we may have many rooms, but since there are eight of them, they might have to share a room with someone. In fact, I think we have about…" Grim counted his fingers, deciding the number of rooms, "Five spare bedrooms. One will get his own room and the others will share the other two—which have two beds!"

Yang clenched her fists, her hands glowing a deep purple and bleeding as her nails bit into her flesh. However, the glow dispersed and she calmed again

"Fine," she then sat down and opened the music box after winding it again, "I must continue the song. Do not disturb me..."

"Now wait a second Yang," Death snapped as she started playing the organ in time with the music box, "I thought we could at least get to know our guests before we do anything else."

"Whatever!" she snapped as she drew to the climax of the song.

"Ok, well we know the Princes already, and I'm sure by now that my daughter's sick of listening to _your_ face", he began pointing to Shobu, "and _I_ know Jamira—by the way where were you? I was starting to wonder about Yang's little servant."

The others couldn't help but stare at Jamira after this.

"Oh don't worry about that I'm ba—?" he began but was cut off by his mistress.

"I would remember your place if I were you, you little red haired, water leprechaun of a cheater!" Yang exclaimed, stopping suddenly and turning to him, "If you fail to toe the line with me, I shall beat you until you can't feel anything anymore!"

"Yang calm down," Death snapped as she turned back to her organ and began playing again, "What about the rest of you? We'll start off with the little one. What's your name kid? Oh and don't be threatened by Yang here."

Poor little Rekuta looked as if he were about to wet himself, but said in his very squeaky voice, "I-I-I'm R-R-Rek-k-kuta...I-I-I'm Shobu's b-b-best friend...s-s-so I-I-I'm trying t-t-to h-help him through th-th-these l-lands..." he said shivering.

"Alright, well like I said, you don't have to worry about getting hurt here unless Yang gets into one of her little moods, but that rarely happens..." her father spoke in a somewhat kind voice before pointing to Kokujo, "What about you?"

Ko glared at up at him, looking as though he just wanted to get out of there A.S.A.P.

"My name is Kokujo, I use darkness cards, and I don't intend on staying here," he snapped back, folding his arms over his chest, "Can't she just duel Shobu in a Kaijudo and beat his ass so I can go home?"

Yang cocked an eyebrow at this and stared at him curiously before redirecting her gaze back to her father. At this point, she had grown exceedingly bored and decided to change the subject.

"Father, have you seen that cute little cub that usually hangs out around me?" she asked sitting on the piano stool and facing him, her legs crossed and her back straight.

The Reaper looked up to her questioningly.

"Morticai?" he asked putting a hand on his hip.

"Yes," she smiled, "have you seen him?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, a young cub came running in and jumpped into her arms.

"There you are..." she said smiled, holding it close.

"What is that?" Shobu asked, pointing at the little creature in her arms.

"It's a Death Liger," she spoke without looking to him.

They all felt their eyes grow wide as they stared at the little cub in her arms. When the creature blinked once, the eyes looked as though they'd been mercilessly torn at the middle horizontally. The eyes of a Death liger…

"Aren't Death Ligers supposed to be, oh I don't know, bigger?" Shobu asked still wide eyed.

"Not here," Yang replied monotonously, "In my realm the creatures are actually living creatures, born naturally into this world. They aren't created out of nothingness like the others from the P.L.O.O.P's Civilizations."

"Ok well, now that that's settled," Grim began, walking over to them again, "let's get you all to the rooms you shall be sleeping in tonight shall we?"

He smirked as he turned, hoping his idea to get his daughter to be a little more sociable would work. He led the boys down the hall, leaving Yang with the cub watching them, smiling slightly as she thought of what she could do to them that night…

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(1) Got to Youtube and look up 'Davy Jones'. The vid I'm referring to should be the first result. It's his theme song that she's playing. They'll explain it more in the next chapter, don't fret. 


	3. Chapter 2: Movie Night

Unwanted Betrothal

**Chapter 2: Movie Night**

After showing the boys to their rooms, Grim led them into a large living room with a huge T.V. Shobu's jaw immediately dropped at seeing the, literally, giant screen T.V. They all looked from one another and ran over to the huge couch to fight for who would sit where.

Kokujo, the only one who wasn't fighting, just watched this and thought, 'That is just barbaric!'

Grim took notice of Ko's indifference to this and of the fact that Yang wasn't down there with them.

"Ok, ok!" he shouted, "You guys settle down! Listen tonight is movie night and...okay where's Yang?" he sighed heavily, then shouted, "YANG! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Soon after they heard her yell in return, "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT!"

"WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE AND GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!" Death yelled in return.

A few minutes later, Yang came in, glaring daggers at the reaper.

"What the hell do you want?" she snapped angrily, "You just interrupted me from a much needed meditation!"

"Yang honey, do you really have to wear that?" Grim asked noticing her clothes.

Yang looked over herself then back up at him.

"What's wrong with these?" she asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Never mind," Grim sighed back, "Now on to business, Yang, its movie night!"

Yang sighed in angst and rolled her eyes.

"You mean the night where you sit me down and force me to watch some dumbass movie with you?" she asked.

"The very same...hey wait a second!" he said glaring...sort of...they couldn't really tell under his hood, so they guessed.

"Why would I want to sit in the same room as the Princes and watch a movie with them?" she asked glaring at them all.

"It's your turn to pick the movie", Grim said innocently and in sing-song voice.

Yang raised an eyebrow.

"Ok...I choose 'The Ring'", she said smirking.

"No! We are not watching that!" Grim snapped back, anger lacing his voice, "Why is it you always choose to watch that scary movie every time it's your turn to choose a one?"

"It's a _scary_ movie, dad. Which means, that I like it", Yang answered.

"Well Yang, sweetheart, I hate to spoil your little idea, but, what about these two?" Grim said pointing to Shobu and Rekuta.

"What about them?" she asked.

"They'd be too scared to watch that movie," Grim insisted, "Here's an idea. How about we watch one of my movies, and then when these two go to bed, we'll watch 'The Ring'. Does that sound fair?"

Yang tapped her chin as she took a moment to think.

"Alright, we'll watch one of your movies, but when they're asleep we're watching 'The Ring'. No exceptions!" she snapped at him.

"Fine...now the movie I choose is, of course...'Jeff Dunham Spark of Insanity'(1)!'" Grim said holding up the movie.

Yang and Ko couldn't help but glare.

"Dad," she began, "I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a cereal spoon than sit through that," she snapped, turning to walk back to her room.

"Yang, we had a deal," Grim insisted, "We all watch my movie and when they go to bed, we watch yours."

"Damn!" she hissed angrily, turning back to him, "I'm caught, unable to escape this binding contract!"

With that, she walked over to the couch to sit in the only spot left. To much of her dismay, it was in between two of the guys; Irving and Kokujo. Come to think of it, Kokujo she could probably handle, since he was a darkness duelist, but Irving she had to object to. Once she was seated, Irving immediately had an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She growled low and animalistic in protest and he let her go out of fear. Folding her arms across her chest angrily and hating the fact that she was surrounded by nine guys (including her dad), she tried to focus on the movie and not on the factor of having to sit next to the prince she hated the most. She glanced at Ko thoughtfully though.

'Kawaiikochan…' she mused mentally before shaking her head a little, 'Ugh! Yang, what the hell?!?! How can you think that? You know you can't get close to anyone! Remember mother!'

"Hey Yang," Shobu began in his annoying voice, bringing her attention to him sitting on the floor in front of her, "I was wondering, why don't you wear the same clothes as the Princes?"

"Two things," she began holding up a fist and counting off the reasons, "One; they have no sense of style _what_soever, and two; I am not a member of P.L.O.O.P. so there is no call for me to wear those clothes."

Shobu stared at her.

"But aren't you the ruler of this realm?" he asked stupidly, "Aren't you a princess?"

Yang glared at him.

"I don't _like_ to be called a princess," she explained, venom dripping from her words, "Princesses are almost always saved by a prince. That's not going to happen to me...I don't need saving and I do not need a prince!"

"One more question, then I'm done," Shobu swore, "Why did you call that song you were playing 'the Song of the Dead'?"

Yang sat in thought for a minute, choosing her words, before replying.

"It is not really the song of the dead," she explained, "Rather, it's a song that commemorates the dead entering their endless stay in Hell. Father heard it while watching one of the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies and had me listen to it. I loved it instantly and learned to play it. While I was learning, souls just flew in and out of our home and to our portal to Hell that we have in our cellar. After discovering this, we thereafter called it 'The Song of the Dead'."

Once finished with that explanation, she leaned back against the couch.

'This is gonna be a long night,' she thought miserably as her father pressed 'play'.

Halfway through the movie, Yang was practically ready to tear her hair out by the roots. Well…actually, that's kind of a lie. She did kind of enjoy watching Walter, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, and Peanut, but that was about it. Death and Shobu had no trouble annoying her by repeating every single line form Melvin, the Super Hero Guy and Peanut and by the time the movie had ended, she was ready to kill someone. As the credits rolled, Grim began leading Shobu and Rekuta back to their room only to have the two come running back screaming. A large, black, flying object followed, cawing a screeching behind them.

"NEVERMORE!" the creature shrieked, "NEVERMORE!"

Yang stood up and held her arm out for the creature to land on.

"Nevermore, where have you been?" she said to the bird as she stroked its feathers, "I thought I left you sitting on my pallid bust of Pallas…just above my chamber door."

"What the heck's a 'Nevermore'?" Shobu asked Yang after he came out of his initial shock.

The goth looked up at him before replying, "It's my pet raven."

"Why did you name it 'Nevermore'?" Rekuta asked.

"I'm a great fan of Edgar Allen Poe," she smiled as she continued to stroke her raven gently.

"Yang," her father began angrily, "I thought I told you to keep that thing in a cage."

"Dad, relax," she rolled her eyes, "it's nothing to be frightened of. By the way—I keep losing that little guy—have you seen Mort?"

The little Death Liger came running up to her just like before and jumped into her arms as the raven flew back to her room.

"There you are", she said smiling, "Where do you keep disappearing to?"

After Grim had shown Shobu and Rekuta to their room again and after calming Rekuta back down to the point where he wouldn't wet the bed, he came back out to find Yang putting 'The Ring' into the DVD player. Strangely enough, Mort had sat down on Kokujo's lap earning a surprised look from Yang when she turned back around.

"Strange…Mort has never taken kindly to anyone before—besides me of course," she spoke in a soft voice as the cub began playing with his long bangs affectionately, "I'm quite shocked to see that he took so kindly to you."

She walked back over to the couch and sat back down next to Ko, still staring the cub, utterly bewildered.

"Get. It. Off. Me," was all he had to say to her in an angered voice.

Yang picked up the happy cub and set it down on her lap. In the warm hold of its mistress' arms Mort cuddled closer to her and fell slowly to sleep purring contently, despite wanting to sit on the boy next to her.

"Now Yang, remember, if one of your friends calls after the movie, we aren't watching it again. Do you understand?" Grim asked in a warning tone.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Dad, will you relax? Everything will be fine. Just enjoy the movie for once", she said smirking as the movie started.

"Listen to me you!" he said quickly and angrily, "Don't make me take away your organ privileges!!"

Yang gasped honestly and audibly and nodded sharply. Losing her privilege of the organ meant she couldn't play the song of the dead anymore. It was one of the few things she feared from her father or anyone else. After the movie began, Yang finally felt herself enter the arms of enjoyment. She was watching people die in her favorite movie— smiling as practically everyone in the room jumped at the very frightening and sudden moments. The evil Darkness Civilization duelist beside her, however, seemed kind of unaffected by the movie—which she found to be another good attribute of him.

'He's so perfect,' she mused in her mind as one of the more dull moments in the movie played on, 'He's a mere mortal, but every thing about him is just so great…From what I can see and have heard of him, he's evil, uses a darkness deck and he obviously gets along so well with Mort! In fact I think the little guy would be downright heartbroken if he left! Matte! Yang-chan!! There you go again! You have to stop thinking like this! Remember mother…remember mother…' she thought to herself.

A thought came to her then that made her look down at Mort sadly.

'Once this boy leaves with the others, he won't come back,' she mused, stroking her fingers through his soft fur, 'Mort will be lonely without him…I mean, it's true that he will still have me, but what about when I'm busy or away? Who will be there to play with him? Keep him company?'

Sighing, she decided to leave her thoughts for another time and finished watching the movie. What really made her laugh was what happened when the movie was over. You see, after the ending credits had passed, the phone rang and nearly everyone screamed, surprisingly not loud enough to wake up Shobu or Rekuta. Death was seething. Yang didn't care. She just kept laughing and stood to answer the phone.

"Hey Samara," she laughed, "Yeah I'm watching it with a bunch of travelers and the P.L.O.O.P members my dad invited to stay...no you can't kill any of them...you _know_ father won't allow it...I know…it sucks right?! I would love for you to come over and kill these bastards, but alas, my father's a nerd…ok well good bye...Oh yeah!! That sounds great! I'll see you then…Bye."

With that, she hung up and walked over to the couch to pick Mort up off of Kokujo and then began walking back to her room, laughing.

"Hey hold on there little missy!!" Grim shouted, stopping her and causing her to turn to him, "Who the hell were you talking about?!"

"Oh that was just Samara," Yang answered nonchalantly.

"Th-Th-_The_ Samara?!?!" Eugene gasped from his seat in one of the arm chairs, "From the movie?!"

"The very same," Yang shrugged, "Oh yeah! She's coming over next week for tea and cookies."

"Next week?" Grim sighed wearily, "'Seven Days' from now?"

"That's right," Yang smirked back as she turned and then walked back to her room.

During the movie, an idea of how to get back at Shobu and the Princes had suddenly come to her. The only two of them that she wouldn't torment were Kokujo and Rekuta since neither had tried to cause her much grief.

Yang could only just mutter in her dark voice as she glanced into the Kirafuda's room, "Sleep well Shobu, for you have just entered a nightmare world from which there is no awakening..."

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(1) Hi-LARIOUS Ventriloquist(sp?) and very talented at his craft as well. I highly recommend you readers check it out! If you need a good laugh, he's the guy to see! ;)


	4. Chapter 3: Nightmares and Memories

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 3: Nightmares and Memories

Yang walked into her throne/organ room and grabbed the closed music box before walking back to her bedroom. A wicked smile dancing on her lips, she closed and locked her door and walked in to sit down on her bed. Mort, who had been lying in her arms, jumped down to nestle himself on her large bed and slowly fell victim to sleep, purring like a kitten. Yang sat Indian-style next to him and began to think as she began winding the tiny music box.

"What could I do to keep Mort happy after that boy leaves?" she pondered quietly to herself, opening the fully wound music player and listening to its dulcet sounds, "He'll be so upset if he doesn't have a reminder of him now and again…"

A thought came to her and she smiled at the memory. Mort loved playing with her younger cousin's baby dolls and an idea hit her that she thought perfect. She closed her eyes and using her dark magic, made a small plushy of the newcomer with midnight-blue hair.

'This may benefit us both,' she mused thoughtfully as she admired her handiwork and held the doll closer to her, "In the day while I'm working, dueling, meditating, or playing my organ; Mort can play with this little doll and through the night I can have it...'

Placing the doll into Morticai's paws, she returned to thoughts concerning the torment of Shobu and the others before smiling maliciously.

"Mortal Portal, Demon Command..." she began chanting, her hands beginning to glow their frightening violet, "Let their dream's fates, fall into _my_ hands...By the power of Amatsu-Mikaboshi…give me the power to bring them Hell!!"

With that, she opened her eyes to reveal two white orbs as her very essence left her. In the form of essence, she walked towards the door. Melting through it and to the other side, she glided into Shobu's room and then to his bedside. She smiled and put a finger to his forehead before being _sucked _into his empty mind. In his dreams, he was dueling his father, but that wasn't why Yang was there. No, she was there to torture Shobu through his dreams and leave him fearing the night. She walked silently throughout the dream realm full of offensively bright colors and happy faces before finally coming to a door marked, 'Shobu's Worst Fear: -Do Not Open.-'

Smiling wickedly, she opened the door to look inside, immediately laughing at his fear; spiders. True it was typically a rational fear that Yang could understand, but the creature before her was small and even in the swarm from which it belonged as they poured out the door, was more or less a tiny threat compared to her. Still, she ignored it after recovering her gloomy demeanor and turned, still wanting to get out and torment the others. She then left the door to Shobu's fear open and left his blossoming nightmare to enter Irving's dream. As with the younger's dream, she had to look for Irving's worst fear, but the dream she found herself in, disturbed her to no end. It turns out he was dreaming of nothing but her, getting married to her, things too adult oriented for children to see.

'Can you say, "Get a fuckin' life!"?' she thought angrily as she ran through his dream and to his fear.

She smiled evilly when she found it and quickly opened the door to let it out. _His _fear was even more pathetic than Shobu's had been; darkness, plain and simple. The black blanket quickly spread throughout his mind, causing him much distress, she noticed, when she exited his perverted mind. She grinned wickedly. Tonight, she was going to send them all into her little nightmare world

Snapping her fingers, she quietly spoke the following incantation as she made it to the next room, "By the flicking of my thumbs...something wicked this way comes."

---------------------Morning---------------------

Shobu moaned groggily as he came downstairs, feeling as though he'd been hit by a truck! However, once downstairs, he found he wasn't the only one to sleep horribly last night. The four Princes, and Jamira had all been awake that night. Irving looked as thought the straw could burst from his seams…you know…if he _were _a scarecrow. Melvin was dead to the world as he snoozed on the table. Wilbur hadn't bothered trying to dress properly so he looked to be in shambles. Eugene looked bad too. He was shaking horribly, obviously frightened by…something. Jamira was the worst of them all. He was sitting in the corner in the fetal position and was rocking back and forth in fear. Kokujo and Rekuta, on the other hand, seemed to be the only one's unaffected.

"I take it most of you all had nightmares too huh?" Shobu asked, falling into his chair.

"Actually Shobu, I slept fine", Rekuta replied in his squeaky voice.

"So did I," Ko agreed calmly and then pointing to Rekuta, "I'm actually shocked he didn't have nightmares. He was scared to death when we first came in. I was _sure_ he wouldn't sleep well."

They then heard a door open and close followed by the music of some Heavy-metal band Yang loved listening to. She was wearing her usual 'around-the-house clothes', which consisted of her black tank top, baggy black jeans and now chains all over. Holding a black boom box with yin-yang symbols on the speakers, she walked with her eyes closed as she sang along with the song that had been playing.

"'_Who's to know if your soul will fade at all?  
__The one you sold to fool the world  
__You lost your self-esteem along the way  
__Yeah_

_Good god, you're coming up with reasons.  
__Good god, you're dragging it out.  
__Good god, it's the changing of the seasons.  
__I feel so raped, so follow me down._

_And just fake it, if you're out of direction.  
__Fake it, if you don't belong here.  
__Fake it, if you feel like infection.  
__Woah, You're such a fuckin' hypocrite._

_And you should know that the  
__lies won't hide your flaws.  
__No sense in hiding all of yours.  
__You gave up on your dreams along the way.  
__Yeah._

_Good god, You're coming up with reasons.  
__Good god, You're dragging it out.  
__Good god, it's the changing of the seasons.  
__I feel so raped, __so follow me down.  
_

_And just fake it, if you're out of direction.  
__Fake it, if you don't belong here.  
__Fake it, if you feel like infection.  
__Woah, You're such a fuckin' hypocrite.'_

_Woah, Woah._

_I can fake with the best of anyone.  
__I can fake with the best of 'em all.  
__I can fake with the best of anyone.  
__I can fake it all.'_"

She took a seat, but didn't skip a beat with her song.

"'_Who's to know if your soul will fade at all,  
__The one you sold to fool the world.  
__You lost your self esteem along the way.  
__Yeah._

_Good god, You're coming up with reasons.  
__Good god, You're dragging it out.  
__Good god, it's the changing of the seasons.  
__I feel so raped, __now follow me down._

_And just fake it, if you're out of direction.  
__Fake it, if you don't belong here.  
__Fake it, if you feel like infection.  
__Woah, You're such a fuckin' hypocrite._

_Fake it, if you're out of direction.  
__Fake it, if you don't belong here.  
__Fake it, if you feel like infection.  
__Woah, You're such a fuckin' hypocrite'_—Oh, you're all awake...well some of you are. The others are pretty much dead to the world", she laughed as she turned to Prince Melvin and lifted his sleeping head…before letting it drop back down to the table with a loud thud.

Shockingly, he didn't wake up.

"What'd I tell ya?" she cackled, "Dead to the world!"

"What _are_ you listening to?" Irving asked, pointing to her CD player.

"It's my favorite band, Seether!" she replied with a smirk, "The song is called 'Fake It.' It's my favorite off their new album 'Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces'."

She then put the CD player under the table and turned to them again.

"Did you all sleep well?" she asked smiling sinisterly and leaning back in her chair and propping her feet up on the table.

"No," Shobu said, staring at her through sleepy eyes, "besides Rekuta and Kokujo, none of us slept at all!"

Yang smirked, and said nothing. Irving noticed this and glared, knowing she had been the cause of this from the beginning. But, like Yang, he said nothing as she pulled her CD player back up and cranked up the sound as she pressed play for the fourth song on the CD and began singing.

"'_You could've been the real one  
You could've been the one enough for me  
You could've been the free one  
(the broken down and sick one)  
Remnant of a vacant life _

You come around when you find me faithless  
You come around when you find me faceless  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up and tear it down)  
Dig it up and hold me out  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up and tear it down)  
I love the sound when you come undone'" 

Everyone else in the room stared at her in shock as she kept on playing the song. Behind them, a figure walked up to them. He was wearing a red shirt and black, baggy pants. His flaming red hair that stood up straight—like Eugene's—bounced after him as he walked over. He had blue eyes and a face made to smile, which he did when he saw Yang singing.

_"'You could've been the next one  
(God only knows)  
You could've been the one to comprehend me  
You could've been the only one  
(the broken down and sick one)  
You could've been the one who I lie with_

Then, shocking everyone but Yang, he began singing as well, his voice light and cheery as he sang with her.

_"'You come around when you finally face this  
You come around when you find me faceless  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up and tear it down)  
Dig it up and hold me out  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up and tear it down)  
Don't make a sound 'til I come undone_

Yang then stood and began singing to the stranger's face and vice-versa.

_"'You'll never break me  
You'll never break me  
You'll never break me_

_  
You could've been the real one  
You could've been the last one I'd lie with  
You could've been the old one  
I should've been the one who died _

You come around when you finally face this  
You come around when you find me faceless  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up and tear it down)  
Dig it up and hold me out  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up and tear it down)  
I love the sound when you come undone  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(fuck you like you hate me)  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(you'll never break me)  
Fuck me like you hate me  
(dig it up, tear it down)  
You'll come around when you find me faceless.'" 

The two laughed as the song ended and shook hands.

"Exactly where has your dumbass been?" she asked as they both took seats at the table and as she played the ninth song, 'Walk Away from the Sun'.

"Well thank you for the warm welcome," the boy replied sarcastically.

He was about Yang's height and looked to be her age.

"Who's this?" Rekuta asked, feeling more comfortable with a friendly face in the room.

"This is Kaito," Yang introduced, pointing a bored finger at him.

"It's Kai ya little bitch!" 'Kai' growled back, throwing the salt shaker at her, which she expertly caught.

"'Kaito' is my little brother," she continued using his hated name.

"You have a _brother_?!" Shobu gasped looking at the happy-go-lucky boy next to him.

"Betcha didn't see that one coming ne?" Kai laughed.

"I know they don't look alike," Grim explained as he walked up with a cup of coffee in his bony fingers, "But they _are_ siblings."

"So do _you_ rule over one of the Civilizations?" Shobu asked.

"Nope," Kai shrugged, "But I'd _love_ to rule over the Fire Civilization Lands! Oogie just beat me to it."

He'd been referring to Eugene, whose ears flushed red at the name as Yang stifled a laugh.

"That was a name he liked to use when he was little," Kai laughed along with the others.

After the laugh, they were quiet for a while again. Shobu—big shock—was the one to break the silence.

"Hey Yang, I've been meaning to ask you something-", Shobu began.

"Go to the Wizard of Oz!" Yang interrupted, "I'm sure he'll be able to get you a brain! In fact he's already got one reserved for Irving, the Brainless Scarecrow!"

"That's not what I was gonna ask!" Shobu snapped back.

Irving was bristling in anger. Kai couldn't breath he was laughing so hard!

"I was gonna ask you where your mom is," Shobu continued, "I haven't seen her around your home, is she sick?"

Yang's expression suddenly became cold and dark and Kaito stopped laughing. She stood up, and knocked the table over, sending most of them flying, while glaring at Shobu.

"Don't you **dare** mention my mother **ever** again!" she uttered in a venomous whisper.

Shobu started after her, bewildered, as she walked back to her room, darkness following her every footstep. Death sighed at the mention of his wife and as Yang walked back to her room.

"Kid, I'm gonna tell you the number one rule of this house," he began as he and Kai picked up the table, "Never, I repeat, **never** mention her mother!"

"Why not?" Shobu asked, standing up with the others.

Grim and Kaito gave him matching mournful looks and sat down.

"Take your seats," he spoke as though he were a weary old man, "you're gonna want to sit down through this. You see, when Yang and Kai here were about six years old—in half-vampire years mind you, they'd been alive for over thirty-nine human years prior—her mother had already been teaching Yang how to rule over this realm and excellent defense. You see being a half-vampire, Yang's senses and abilities had advanced to that of a master, so it was easy for her to learn at that age. Kai on the other hand, took no interest in this Civilization so he'd play with Eugene and the other princes most of the time. Anyway, their mother, Seraphim, had been good friends with Prince Irving's mother, who she would visit every few days. During those visits, she'd leave me with Yang, and sometimes Kai whenever he was home, for the day. Well one day, after Yang and her mother had finished training, Seraphim decided to pay Irving's mother a visit while Irving stayed with Yang and me and while Kai was over with Eugene and Wilbur for the day", Grim continued.

-------------------------------------------Flashback-------------------------------------------

_A six year old Yang with short, raven hair ran up to a beautiful aristocratic woman wearing a black and white cloak. She had a kind face and wore a lot of jewelry over her dress._

_"Mommy, please don't leave!" little Yan begged, pulling on her mother's hand to try and hold her back, "I don't wanna be here all alone with Prince Irving and Daddy!"_

(Back from flashback)

"Now mind you, I didn't like that comment, but she's still my kid, and she was only six years old...you can't blame her for that!" Grim retorted.

(Back to flashback)

_Seraphim gave her a warm smile, and replied in a kind voice as she kneeled down to Yang's level, "Why wouldn't you want to stay with them sweetheart?"_

_"I don't like Prince Irving, and Daddy's just boring!" Yang replied in a bitter voice, glancing over her shoulder at the two._

_"Yang, honey, you really shouldn't say that about them," her mother crooned, "I'm sure you'll grow to like them soon."_

_"Why do you have to go to Light Civilization Land anyway?" Yang attempted, "I hate that place!"_

_Seraphim merely smiled down at her and told her she _**wanted **_to go see her friend. Reluctantly, Yang let go and watched as Seraphim walked away._

-----------------------End Flashback-----------------------------------

"What happened next?" Shobu asked.

Grim stared at him for a moment.

"She never came back," he spoke quietly and sadly, "We knew it would take her a couple of hours to get through all the civilizations without one of my portals, but she had been gone the whole day and the sun was setting…"

-----------------------Flashback (again) --------------------------------

_Yang sat in front of the door, with a six year old Prince Irving, waiting for Seraphim._

_Grim walked in and glanced around._

_"Isn't your mom home yet?"_

_Yang solemnly shook her head without looking from the door as Grim went into the kitchen to call Irving's mother._

_The skull in the kitchen had been glowing an ominous red for a few hours and it caused him even more distress as he picked up their phone and began dialing the number. The phone rang at the other end of the line and Grim heard Irving's mother pick up._

_"Hey, Linda, it's me Grim," he began, "Listen, I was wondering if Seraphim was coming home soon?"_

_On the other line 'Linda' replied in a concerned voice, "Coming home? Grim, honey, she never arrived."_

_Grim nearly dropped the phone as he felt his dead heart sink at these words. He thanked Linda for the heads up and told her he's escorting Irving home. He then hung up and walked to door to get the boy._

_"Yang, sweetheart," he began, trying to be as nonchalant as possible, "I'm gonna take Irving home ok?"_

_"Where's Mommy?" Yang asked in worry as her father opened the door and grabbed his scythe and Irving's collar, "Isn't she coming home?"_

_But she asked too late, for her father and the Light Civilization boy had already walked out the door. Death made a portal with his scythe to Linda's home and dropped Irving off._

_"Hey," Death began as Irving ran inside, "if you don't mind, I'm gonna take a look around and try to find Seraphim."_

_Linda, a blond haired woman, who was as sweet as she was beautiful (Irving got his looks from his dad), gave Grim a look of concern as she closed the door behind her._

_"What's going on Grim?" she asked in a whisper._

_"I don't know yet," Death sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "I mean, she left like usual…so I assumed she was alright! After a couple of hours that worry skull in the kitchen began glowing red—signaling a problem—and I got worried. That's about when I called. I'm worried about her."_

_"Where's Yang?" she asked confused._

_"At home, but don't worry, she's been home alone before", he reassured her. "Anyway, I'm gonna search through these lands ok? I have to find Seraphim…"_

_At first, Linda was against it, but eventually agreed and went back inside to finish dinner. Death then walked away, looking through Light Civilization land for hours before he finally came across some bones lying strewn out in the sunlight. Had he a heart, it would have stopped. Had he veins, his blood would have run cold as he watched Seraphim's cloak fly through the wind. He caught it and felt a pang in his chest at the fact. He knew Seraphim could never survive long in the sun, which is probably why there was no skin to her bones, but that didn't explain why they were scattered as such. Being the Grim Reaper gave him the power to turn back time, but he really only did that in emergencies._

_"This _**is**_ an emergency", Grim muttered as he raised his scythe, turning back time to find out what happened to Seraphim._

_He arrived at the point he calculated the time of this tragedy, and watched as Seraphim walks through Light Civilization Land. For a moment, nothing happened. He continued to watch as Lavial tore her cloak away and proceeded in tearing her apart._

_"Linda must've lost control of her creature at this time" Grim thought aloud as he looked away and covered his bony jaw, "How am I gonna break this to Yang?"_

_Grim sped his time forward again and made a portal to take him home. When he opened the door, Yang was still sitting there, waiting for her mother along with Kaito, who'd just gotten home._

_"Hey Yang", he said quietly, hiding the cloak behind his back, "Kai."_

_"Where's Mommy?" Yang asked with sad eyes._

_Grim couldn't bring himself to say anything and just held up the cloak to his daughter and son. Their eyes widened—but Yang's expression darkened, knowing how her mother had died due to the lack of a body being produced. She stormed into the garage and took a can of black paint and a paintbrush up to her room and began painting her walls._ _Seraphim was the only person Yang had ever really connected with and truly loved...and now she was gone, leaving Yang empty._

-------------------------------------------End Flashback-------------------------------------------

"That's why Yang doesn't like talking about her mom," Death explained, "Her death may have been over forty years ago, but the wound is still fresh."

"It's also the one of the biggest reasons she hates the Light Civilization Land so much," Kai added, shaking his head.

"One of them?" Shobu asked, confused.

"Yeah," Kai sighed, "There are many reasons, but there are two major biggies that she can't stand about the place."

"What's the other one?" Rekuta asked, cocking his head to the side.

Irving smirked and leaned back in his chair a little with pride as Kai and Grim turned to him with unsteady looks.

"B-Because she's betrothed," Grim replied with a mournful sigh, "She is going to be married off to Prince Irving."


	5. Chpt 4: Revenge: A Meal Best Served Cold

**Chapter 4: Revenge: A Meal Best Served Cold**

Irving couldn't help but remain angry at Yang for keeping him awake all night. Even after hearing about how her mother died so tragically he was angry. How dare she treat him that way! He was a prince, and he wouldn't stand to be treated like this. He had been sitting at the table after her father had left, thinking about a way to get back at her. An idea struck him then; he would go into her room and find something he could use to embarrass her to no end...no one had ever been in that room except Yang anyway, so she had to have some good juicy stuff. The only problem was that she couldn't be in there. He stood and went over to speak with Grim.

"Where has Yang gone?" he asked in an almost pleading voice.

Grim looked him over.

"Whenever someone mentions her mom like that," he answered with suspicion in his voice, "she usually hangs out on the roof to meditate."

Irving smiled wickedly and went back to the others to get recruits. That way, he could have help with his revenge and witnesses to provide their word that he had had his revenge on Yang.

"I am looking for two brave souls to venture with me into Yang's room and help me find something I can use as revenge," he spoke, rolling his 'r' on the word 'brave' as though he really _were_ a prince.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the other three princes, Jamira, and Rekuta ran out of the room, leaving Kokujo, Kai, and Shobu to do as he said.

"Why didn't you three leave?" Irving asked as he walked over to them, "Are you truly the brave souls I seek?"

"Well he's a moron, who doesn't know what the Hell he got himself into," Kokujo replied flatly, motioning to Shobu before pointing to Kai, "I'm not sure why _he _stayed, and I couldn't care less. I'm not afraid to go."

"You _should_ be, though," Kai snapped at him, standing up, "I stayed behind to be the voice of reason among _raving lunatics_!!"

"If you're too frightened, Kaito, then stay here," Irving retorted coolly.

"Yes, I'm frightened!!" Kai laughed hollowly, "You obviously don't _know_ my neechan. She is a stone cold mega-bitch!! She also doesn't _like_ you, which means she won't hesitate to kill you and leave your ass for dead!"

"Whatever, Kaito," Irving shrugged him off, walking away, "Come along boys. Forget the scaredy cat—lets just go."

Kokujo and Shobu stood and let Irving lead them down the hall to a black door with a frightening skull on it. Kai watched them leave and shook his head in remorse. Placing his index and ring fingers to his closed eyes, his middle finger to his forehead, and stretching his thumb and pinky finger out wide he sighed.

"Even in death, may they be triumphant," he murmured, ceasing the death's touch sign and staring after them worriedly.

It was a tradition for a vampire to salute a warrior with the Death's Touch sign before a battle. He was sure there would be no actual 'battle', but there would definitely be bloodshed on Irving's part. Meanwhile, the prince and the two boys had reached the door. Irving's wicked smile never faded as he turned the knob. Inside the room, however Mort had heard him coming and had already hidden himself and the plush doll, knowing that Yang wouldn't have wanted either found by Prince Irving and especially not by Kokujo. As they walked in they found that her room was just as dark, if not darker than its owner. There were many posters of darkness duelists and vampires plastered on the walls along with a few of metal bands a few alternative bands. There were a couple of posters from that new Batman® of the Joker® as well. On her shelves were books, mostly by Edgar Allen Poe, Darren Shan, and other dark authors and poets. There were also sculptures of ravens, bats and even Death Ligers. Her huge bed had deep purple, silk sheets and deep blue pillows. There was a trail like mark on the floor leading from the door to the bed. Behind it, a raven had spread its wings, its beak open as if calling to the heavens. Shobu looked over to another part of her room and found a bunch of cages. He ran over to them and looked inside; wondering what was in them and found a large crow, sleeping.

"Ohh...What's this?" he asked about to poke the crow.

Ko rounded on Irving

"Why are we here?" he half yelled, "What do you intend on finding?"

"Look, all I want to find is something that will embarrass Yang in front of the others for what she did to all of us—not that _you'd_ know anything about our sleepless night," he retorted angrily as he shot Ko a nasty look, "So help me look!"

Suddenly, though not surprisingly, the crow began screeching its little head off. Its screeching then woke up Nevermore. Like the crow, when Nevermore woke up, he began screeching, waking up a bat in the cage next to it. That one crow caused a chain reaction so that after the bat woke up, a black snake with deep purple stripes followed, hissing and making just as much noise as the others, waking up a dangerous looking tarantula in the last cage.

"Oops..." Shobu said, blushing.

Mort then came out from under the bed (remembering to hide the plush doll in the hole he made in the bed a long while back) and quieted down the angry night dwellers with a fierce roar.

"Irving, I think it'd be wise to leave—Shobu don't touch that!" Ko said as Shobu was about to poke the tarantula.

Shobu pulled his hand away instantly, but had a pout plastered over his face.

"Do shite?" he asked in a pleading voice.

"Because it's obvious that Yang only owns 'dangerous' creatures," Ko replied, glaring at him, "If you get bitten by that spider, you may die...and, to be honest, I wanna see you die in a duel…or by getting hit by a truck…whichever comes first…"

Irving, who had been looking under the bed, curious as to why Mort was down there, stood up.

"Could you both stop fighting long enough to help me find something or do I have to—" he stopped mid sentence when his eyes fell upon another black door in the room. Believing it to be a closet, he walked over and opened it. But what he saw wasn't a 'closet'; rather, it was a hallway—one that really shouldn't be there. Irving walked in followed by a curious Shobu and a suspicious Kokujo. They looked around at the many doors in the room, though—it was the strangest thing—none of them had any labels as to what was inside. The doors they saw were merely painted many different colors; such as gray, red, purple, and even pink. Irving decided to check out each door, one-by-one and began with the closest: the gray door. He reached for the knob, but as he did it was opened to reveal Yang in a completely gray outfit with a sad look on her face. Irving's face went fierce, wanting nothing more than to yell at her.

"Yang! You little wretch!" he shrieked in a fury, "How dare you inflict those nightmares upon us?"

'Yang' looked up at him, terrified and crying as he yelled at her.

Irving relaxed and tried to calm her down by saying,

"G-Gomen nasai!!" he gasped, "I-I didn't mean to—"

"Where the hell are we?" Ko asked, interrupting Irving.

She looked up at Kokujo with her big sad eyes in longing.

"I could tell you," she began in a small, timid voice that he couldn't fathom belonged to _Yang_, "but if I did, you wouldn't like me anymore..._he_ already doesn't like me"

She'd turned to Irving at her last words and closed her door, leaving Irving to tell her how sorry he was through the wood. They tried the pink door next and, just like the first door 'Yang' opened it, only this time wearing a pink robe with an extremely happy face on. Irving immediately tried apologizing again.

"Gomen nasai Yan—Why are you wearing pink?" he asked, bewildered by her choice of clothing.

She actually began laughing.

"'Cause it's my favorite color..." she giggled.

"It is?" Shobu asked before looking over her shoulder and noting what was in the room, "Hey what's in there? Is that like where air fresheners come from?"

Yang began laughing hysterically.

"Good one!" she cackled, doubling over.

"You're laughing—?" Ko asked, bewildered.

"At something _I _said?" Shobu finished in an excited voice.

"Of course," Yang chuckled, "I always thought you were funny Shobu. But hey! Looks aren't everything!"

She then laughed even harder and closed _her_ door to them as well.

--

Mort quietly left the room, the need to tell Yang of the intruders taking priority of actually getting them out of the room, as they walked through the black door. He ran up a flight of stairs and through the attic door. He reached the window to the roof that Yang had crawled through earlier and did the same. He ran up to her but stopped when he heard the weirdest and most horrific noise in the world to him; Yang broke out laughing...for no reason! She covered her mouth with her handstand turned around, making sure no one heard and saw Mort standing behind her.

"Mort, forget what you just heard, understood?" she told him sternly.

Mort nodded and began telling her in short roars and growls that Prince Irving, Shobu and Kokujo had gone into her room and through her secret door.

Yang's eyes widened as she uttered, "No..."

--

The boys had finally gotten over the whole 'happy hotel Yang' and were walking on to a green door, where another 'Yang' in a green cloak, kicked an opponent out of the room and stood up yelling in triumph.

"Boo-ya! In your face!" she turned to the boys and held up her arms yelling at them, "Yeah! High fives! Come on!"

Shobu looked as though even _he'd_ had all he could take.

"What is your _deal_!" he yelled, "First your all sad and mopey, then your all happy and actually laugh at my jokes, and now you're a Marine! Make up your mind! Who _are_ you?"

The other two 'Yangs' they'd met earlier appeared beside her and they all said together.

"Yang desu!" they cried simultaneously.

Shobu fainted and Irving couldn't help but stare. Kokujo was the only one who seemed to get it.

"Shiwase," he motioned to the pink one, "Okubyo," he pointed to the gray one, "Yukan," he pointed to the green one before pausing and nodded, "They're all part of Yang's personality…which means; we're not in Yang's 'closet', like _you_ thought."

Shobu sat up as he understood.

"We're in her head..." he finished for Ko.

"And I want you out!" the _real _Yang said, walking up to them, and dismissing the other 'Yangs' to their rooms. "The door you found is pretty much for meditation, that door down there is usually where I go to meditate in silence. It is a portal into my _mind_! Not a _toy_!"

"Oops...heh-heh... my bad?" he said blushing.

"Why were you even in my room?" she continued eyeing them suspiciously.

Irving blushed furiously and explained that he wanted revenge on her for not only keeping him up all night, but also for everything else she'd done to him. She brushed that away and told them all to leave, forbidding them from her room and swearing she'd put a spell on it if they tried this again. Before they left however, she told Shobu she'd give him a few hours or so to prepare for their oncoming duel. Once they were gone she looked over to Mort who had retrieved the plushie and was now sitting next to her.

"Morticai, they didn't see that did they?" she asked, a little worry in her voice.

Mort shook his head and left the plushie at her feet, running to the door so he could go play with the real Kokujo. Yang picked up the plushie and opened the door for him.

"Play nice, now," she reminded him before he bounded off after the three, "and don't hurt Shobu yet...I want him ready for this and I wish to cause him pain in the duel."

* * *

**A/N: Translations:**

**Gomen nasai: I'm sorry**

**...desu: I'm...**

**Shiwase: Happy**

**Okubyo: Timid**

**Yukan: Brave**

**Wow, I finally revisited and rewrote this chapter...about time too...anyway, lemme know what you think.**


	6. Chapter 5: Thoughts

**Chapter 5: Thoughts**

Yang was lying on her bed thinking. She knew she'd have to concentrate on the upcoming duel, but her conscience was trying to get her to think of something else. She tried fighting her conscience to think of the duel, but her conscience was winning the war.

'You know you like him', her conscience argued trying to get her to listen.

"I've no idea what you're talking about," Yang snapped back.

'Don't you give me that!' her conscience growled, 'You feel something when you're with him—even if there are others there too. You felt it during the movies.'

"I can't afford to feel anything for anyone," Yang murmured, "I don't like anyone…I'm ruler of the Darkness Civilization, I could never _like_ someone…"

'You may be right,' Conscience relented, 'you may _not_ 'like' him...but you might just 'love' him'

"I love no one!" Yang snapped, sitting up, "I just _told _you, I can't _afford_ to love or feel any other emotions!"

'Who are you trying to fool?' Conscience tutted.

Yang stood up angrily, hating her conscience for trying to convince her of such a lie!

"I already said; I love no one!" she forced herself to calm and closing her eyes against this annoyance.

'If that's true then why did you make that little doll?' her conscience asked making her open her eyes wide, and think about this a little.

"I made it for Mort, for when he leaves", Yang lied.

'Then why did you hold it so close when you came back last night to sleep?' Conscience spoke, a smirk evident in her voice, 'Why did you smile so wickedly when you learned that Mort hadn't awoken to find it?'

Yang put her hands to her ears futilely trying to drown out the truth in her conscience's words.

"I can't love anyone," she tried "I can't let myself get close to someone I know will soon be leaving! I have to remember mother! She was the closest person to me and she's gone! She was brutally murdered by that ugly Lavial! I don't want to have to suffer a loss like that again!"

'Then come up with something to keep them here longer—I know you can,' Conscience urged, 'If that little annoyance, Shobu, loses to you; offer him another chance for the next day. That way, he and his little friends would stay and you could keep him longer.'

"I don't _want_ that Kirafuda here!" Yang groaned, "I don't _want_ any of them here!"

'You say that, but you don't mean it,' Conscience argued, 'You want them to stay as long as they possibly can so _he_ doesn't have to leave.'

Yang put her foot down at this.

"I will _not_ argue with my own conscience anymore!" she bristled, "I don't like any of them, much less _love_ and even if I did, they couldn't stay!"

'Oh? And why couldn't they?' Conscience asked curiosity in her tone.

Yang stared at the ground in a mixture of anger and sadness.

"It's because my father's already arranged something that'll keep me away from getting a 'crush'," she answered, "He's forcing me to marry," she shuddered involuntarily, "Prince Irving. And because father did this; I _can't_ get close to another boy, he just won't allow it."

'I must've been in your little fantasy world when he told you this,' Conscience reasoned with herself, 'because I don't remember hearing about it!'

"That's not how I found out," Yang admitted.

'What do you mean?' Conscience asked in a demanding tone, 'What did you do?'

"He didn't 'tell' me," Yang explained, sitting down on the bed, "I overheard a conversation he was having with Irving's mother and I guess you weren't listening because I wasn't thinking about why I was eavesdropping, but I heard that he wanted to join Light Civilization Land with my Darkness Civilization Land so that there could be at least a little 'harmony'."

'But I don't understand,' Conscience sounded frustrated, 'your father is so thoughtful of you. Why would he want to put you through such misery?'

"My father doesn't understand how much I loathe Prince Irving," Yang surmised, "how much I want him to call this whole thing off."

'Why don't you just tell him?' Conscience suggested, 'Wouldn't that solve both of your current problems?'

"Father wouldn't listen..." Yang shook her head, "He's determined to stick with this contract."

"What if you told him you were in love with someone else?' Conscience tried.

"Then I'd just be lying," Yang replied, "I could never lie to father. Sure I could back-sass him, criticize him and yell at him, but I could never lie."

'If you told him you were in love with someone else,' Yang could hear the smile in Conscience's voice, 'you wouldn't be lying.'

"How do you figure that?" Yang laughed.

'Because it's the truth,' Conscience spoke, 'Why can't you. admit it? Why can't you admit that you're in love?'

At this, Yang went silent, choosing not to fight and lose anymore, knowing when she was beaten and when she was proven wrong. She knew she was lying to her own conscience and that she may actually love someone, but she would never admit to it. She couldn't. She lay back on the bed and put her hands to her head.

"What's wrong with me?" she muttered silently

'There's nothing wrong and you know it,' Conscience cooed, 'What you're feeling is perfectly normal for a girl your age. Why don't you just accept it?'

"I can't accept it because nothing you say is true," Yang replied miserably, "Kami-sama!! I'm arguing with my own conscience again! I must be Schizo…I suppose I'll just stop listening. Perhaps _then_ the voice will _shut the fuck up_!!"

'Wakarimashita," Conscience huffed, "I'll leave you alone, but you know I'm right.'

With that her conscience quieted and Yang was left to reminisce about the conversation she just had with herself.

"I'm going insane!" she whispered angrily. "I just had an argument with my own fucking conscience, could there be any sanity left within me?"

She stared up at the ceiling miserably. Perhaps the years of isolation _had_ driven her mad? Or perhaps that isolation had driven her to lower her standards of love? No…That was a poor excuse. Kokujo wasn't low for her standards. He was very good-looking and his way with Darkness Civilization creatures truly impressed her. She sighed. Maybe her conscience was…

"Yang!" she heard her father call from outside her door, "could you come out here? You have a visitor!"

Yang stood back up and walked to the door, her conscience's voice and truthful words still fresh in her mind as she opened the door for her father.

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**A/N: Okay yeah...I know...it's still short, but it IS a LITTLE longer than it used to be...a LITTLE...so yeah...lemme know what you think, though. ;)**


	7. Chapter 6: ReiRei

**Chapter 6: Rei-Rei**

"Yang, what were you doing in there anyway?" Death asked as they walked down the hall, "I heard you yelling a little and I was just wondering who it was you were yelled _at_."

"I was fighting with my conscience", she admitted in her dark voice.

"You have a conscience?" he asked in amazement.

Yang glared at him and remained silent.

"So, in this 'fight' with your so called 'conscience', did you win?" Death asked.

Yang looked down miserably

"Iie…" she answered after a moment.

Grim couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Lemme get this straight," Grim began in disbelief, "You had a fight with your conscience, and lost?"

Yang nodded solemnly and kept walking until they came into the living room to find Kai, the four princes, Shobu's friends and a cute little raven haired girl. She had pretty chocolate eyes with red tints to them and her ebony hair reached to her lower back. Her face was scrunched in an angry look as she kicked Prince Irving in the shins, not noticing that Yang had walked in.

"Rei-Rei!" Yang clapped gaining the little girl's attention, "It's so good to see that you're taking after me so well."

'Rei-Rei' turned around and squealed in delight at seeing Yang there.

"Yang-chan!!" she exclaimed, running to Yang and hugging her around the waist.

She looked so small, probably Rekuta's height or taller. Shobu looked from her to Yang, unable to believe there was any actual relation between her and Yang.

"Yang-chan, I've missed you!" Rei-Rei squealed, "Did you get me any new dolls?"

"Gomen Rei-Rei," Yang replied, glancing at Mort, "I don't have any dolls for you. Did you bring some for Mor—?"

Yang gave the cub a deadpan stare when she noted that he was far too preoccupied with trying to reach Kokujo as the duelist held him away.

"Iie…Gomen ne, Mort," Rei-Rei sighed, "I didn't think to bring any."

Yang rolled her eyes at the cub as Kai picked him up. Rei-Rei smiled up at Yang.

"Can I go play in your room itoko-chan?" she asked in her sweet voice.

Yang looked over to Grim, who nodded sternly.

"I suppose, Rei-Rei," Yang shrugged, "In fact I'll come with you. Morticai will come too."

Yang glared at the cub who'd jumped from Kai's arms to Kokujo's lap to attack his hair. Mort jumped down at the sternness in his mistress' voice and approached her. Rei-Rei squealed in delight again and turned back to the others.

"Thank you all for looking after me while Uncle Grimmy went to get Yang!" she bowed with a smile.

A few of them laughed when she called Grim 'Grimmy' but gave her a 'you're welcome' wave before she ran off with Yang and Mort to her cousin's room. Yang let her in and closed the door behind her, reminding her to be careful near her pets and sculptures. She then sat down on the bed to watch her and Mort play and laugh on the floor. She glanced at the plush doll on the bed and thought back to her fight with her conscience. Bad move. Rei-Rei also caught sight of the plushie and squealed again before running to the bed and picking it up.

"Itoko-chan!" she began, hugging the doll, "I thought you said you didn't have any dolls for me!"

Yang's first instinct was to grab the doll right out of her cousin's hands, but she held back, not wanting to upset her.

"Gomen nasai, Rei-Rei," she apologized carefully and calmly, "but that doll is not for you."

To much of Yang's dismay, Rei-Rei looked over the doll and noticed the resemblance to that boy out there.

"If this isn't for me than who's it for?" Rei-Rei asked holding the doll close, thinking it was just adorable.

Yang blushed a little and tried lying again.

"It's for Mort," she replied, "You know how much he loves playing with your dolls. And he really seems to like Kokujo. So I made him that doll last night so that when Kokujo leaves, Mort won't be unhappy."

"Than why was it on your bed?" Rei-Rei asked in an annoying tone, "Why isn't Mort playing with it?"

'I hate a smart kid!' Yang thought, blushing harder.

Rei-Rei gave Yang a careful look.

"Do you like this guy or something, Yang-chan?" she asked in that innocent childish voice.

"O-Of course I don't 'like' him!" Yang stammered, crossing her arms and laughing hollowly, praying Rei-Rei would listen to and believe her, "I don't like anyone except you and my dad."

"What about Kaito-san?" Rei-Rei asked curiously.

"He's my brother, it's, like, a law not to like your brother," Yang shrugged.

"Oh…" Rei-Rei shrugged, "Well if you _don't_ like this guy, can I go show all of them this doll?"

Yang grabbed the plush doll and tried telling her that she didn't want anyone to know without speaking.

"Why don't you want them to see it?" Rei-Rei asked.

"Rei…" Yang began slowly, "can you keep a secret? I mean can you keep something that can only be between you and me? Can you hear what I want to tell you and never repeat it to anyone else?"

She sat down on the bed and motioned Rei-Rei to sit with her.

"Sure, what's the secret?" Rei-Rei pleaded excitedly, climbing up to sit next to her cousin, "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

Yang sighed and muttered something that Rei-Rei couldn't hear.

"Hmm?" she asked.

Yang sighed again.

"Hai," she breathed loud enough for Rei-Rei to hear, "I _do_ like this boy. In fact I had a fight with my own conscience earlier. She was trying to convince me that I was…That I was in love…"

"Really?" Rei-Rei awed, "Well you have to admit, he _is_ way better looking than Prince Irving!"

Yang couldn't help but laugh at this. Not only was it funny, but it was also true!

"You _do_ have a point there Rei" she said laughing a little and rustling Rei-Rei's hair.

"Did you tell him, yet?" Rei asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Yang furrowed her brow and laughed, "Of course I've told Irving he was ugly—"

"Iie!" Rei-Rei punched her arm playfully, "I _mean_, did you tell that boy you like him?"

Yang's eyes grew wide.

"I-Iie…I haven't told him" she replied looking away.

Rei looked a little disappointed. She would much rather be able to spend time with _him_ over Irving. She knew Yang would be happier with him too. Rei-Rei laid back and thought about what Yang said and got up to play with Mort again to take her mind off the whole thing. Yang, however, kept thinking about it.

'So Rei likes him too?' she thought as Rei-Rei and Mort tumbled and played on the floor, 'Maybe my conscience _did _have a point…Maybe I _should_ think of a way to keep him here…'Yang recalled her duel and stood to look over her deck. Upon reaching her dresser, she was horrified to find it gone. She hadn't touched her deck since Jamira had left—She glared and whipped around to the door.

'Oh…that little-' she began in her mind as she stormed to her door.

She threw the door open and stepped out.

"_JAMIRA!_" she shrieked, walking out of the room in anger.

She marched up to Jamira and hovered over him as he cowered.

"_WHERE IS IT YA LITTLE RED-HAIRED WATER LEPRACHAUN OF A CHEATER?_" she yelled in anger.

"Wh-Where's what?" he laughed, pretending not to know what she was talking about.

Yang calmed down a bit and drew back.

"My deck," she growled in a deathly tone before smirking and putting a finger to her chin, "I want to guess Jamira. You looked at my deck and wanted it for yourself. You were gonna try and duel Shobu with it, ne? You thought you'd be able to beat him with it. You thought I wouldn't mind either and knew you hadn't _meant_ to take it. You might've even returned it to me eventually, so in a way, you'd be a hero for using my deck and it was a victimless crime ne?"

"Uhh….H-Hai?" he laughed hollowly.

Yang glared at him and held out her hand. Jamira gulped and handed her the deck, which she snatched out of his hands. She used her powers to levitate the cards. She then picked out four cards from the deck and put the rest of the cards in her left hand. The cards began to glow purple and four Lupa, Poison-Tipped Dolls came out of the shadows.

"Teach Jamira a lesson about taking people's belongings," she ordered sternly, "but remember…not to kill him; I _do _still need a servant, after all."

The creatures bowed their heads and took Jamira away and into the shadows, leaving them all gawking.

"I need to look over my deck," she turned away as she spoke to Shobu, "I need to see if that little cheater took any of my cards. I'll come for you when I'm ready to duel, Kirafuda."

With that, she walked back to her room.

--

Yang sat on her bed, looking over her cards and thinking about what to do. She thought of something she could do to completely frighten Shobu. She knew it'd really scare him, but it would also benefit him as well. It would prepare him for the horrors he'd see in the duel. So, with the thought in mind, she smiled wickedly and stood up. She walked over to the door, telling Rei-Rei to stay there and play with Mort. Before leaving, she turned to Rei-Rei.

"Rei, I'm going to bring that Kirafuda into the Astral Plane," she explained, "and I want you to keep this door closed and hide that doll when I knock twice on this door."

"Hai, Yang-chan," Rei-Rei saluted before going back to play with Mort.

Yang then walked through the halls to try and find Shobu. She walked into the T.V room again to find that he was asleep. Rolling her eyes, she smacked the back of his head, hard, and woke him up.

"LEPRACHAUNS!" he yelled as he woke up suddenly.

He looked up to see Yang and stood up quickly.

"Ok I'm ready," he panted, "So where's the arena?"

Yang merely sighed.

"I'm not here for the actual duel just yet," she replied, "Though I _am_ ready, I only came to prepare _you_. You see I know of a place where you can go that can really get you…ready for this duel. You've never dueled in this type of terrain and I want you to grow accustomed to it. I don't want to duel someone who's too afraid to make a move".

"Ok, so where are you taking me?" Shobu asked a little confused.

"I'm taking all of you back to my room and into my meditation chambers known as 'The Astral Plane'", she replied in a calm voice.

"You said we weren't allowed in your room", Irving replied smirking.

"You misunderstand, baka," she snapped to him, "You are not allowed in my room without my permission and/or supervision. If you have my permission and I accompany any of you, I will certainly allow you in my room. So Shobu, will you take my offer?"

"Ok, I'll take it. I see no harm in it anyway", Shobu replied excitedly. "Are we gonna get to meet the other yous?"

Yang glared, but really wanted to show them around the Astral Plane.

"If you come, I _might_ introduce you," she relented.

She turned around and led the only ones who actually wanted to come—Irving, Shobu, Rekuta, Kai and Kokujo—to her room and knocked twice, praying that Rei-Rei had kept her promise. Rei opened the door moments later and smiled as she stepped out of the way to let them in.

"Why'd you have to knock?" Shobu asked in his annoying tone.

"Rei likes her privacy," Yang lied calmly, "don't you?"

Rei nodded her head and went back to playing with Mort. Yang glanced to the bed, thankful of the emptiness and knowing that Rei-Rei had done her job. She then walked up to the black door in the room and opened it revealing the hallway filled with the different color doors. Walking straight ahead and ignoring Shobu's pleas of opening the other doors, she approached another black door and turned to them before opening it.

"I warn you," she began in a dark tone looking them all over, "what I'm about to show you is my meditation room. I will admit the place you are about to enter will frighten you—terrify you even. In the Astral Plane, thoughts and dreams become reality. Since I have been here the longest it has taken its form from my mind. This is only about one-third as frightening as our duel _might_ be out there in my lands. The creatures here are real but in this room they're not nearly as dangerous. I beg you not to give them reason to harm you. If you do, I won't be there to help you. These creatures may not be as dangerous as mine, but they're still deadly. They could render your head from your shoulders or disembowel you if they please. If you give them no reason they'll do no such thing. Leave these beasts be and they'll do you no harm. Now, are you ready?"

They nodded shakily. With a smirk, she opened the door.

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**A/N: Translations;**

**Itoko-chan: cousin**

**Wow...it seems like that's all. And the Astral Plane idea is directly from An X-Men game. I don't own it. Please review the rewrite!!**


	8. Chapter 7: The Astral Plane

**Chapter 7: The Astral Plane**

Shobu hid behind Kai as he and the others stared into what they thought could only be a literal Hellhole. The entire room was actually a land of horrors. Bat-like creatures flew over head and the land was engulfed in darkness. Dead trees hung their branches limply around them and the steps were slippery with moss and blood. There were stuffed versions of Prince Irving that were standing as scarecrows all around. Irving smirked in triumph…before one of the more monstrous creatures began tearing it to shreds. The smirk left Irving's face and went straight to Yang's as she walked in. Some of the others stepped back at the sight of this world, but said nothing and began to follow her as well. Yang led them through the door and down many winding, stone staircases. Gargoyles littered the railings—some of those stone monsters turning out to be real. A wolf-bear mix of a creature jumped into their path, startling the boys a little. It roared loudly, its black hair prickling as it bared its yellow fangs. Blood trickled from its jaws as it took a step forward. Its paws were probably bigger than Rekuta's head. Kokujo glared at Yang and the beast as she stepped forward and ran her fingers through its blood-matted fur. It calmed and leaned into her touch as she began scratching its ears.

"I told you, didn't I?" she asked as it bowed a little and took off after a bat creature that flew by, "Give them no reason to harm you and they will leave you be."

Shaken, they followed her as she led them to a beautiful room with scales. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and the room was lit with a golden glow. Up above was a balcony that could only be reached by a lavish stairway.

"This is the tranquil part of my mind—where I come to meditate," she informed them before pointing to the scales, "You see the scales. When my mind is unbalanced with anger or hostility, or worry or pain, they will begin to topple treacherously. For _now_ they are balanced. Let's see how long they can stay like that, shall we?"

She then had them follow her as she walked up to the balcony. They all remained silent and followed her—thankful to be out of the grave part of the land. Well, they were silent until Irving felt the urge to speak.

"Where are we going now?" he asked, annoyed.

"I need to speak with someone before I let you all go off on your own," she replied as she approached a door on the balcony.

She knocked and a tall bluish demon opened it for her. He was very muscular and had long horns. His eyes were completely red and his fangs looked as though they were almost what made his lips.

"Hello, Shadow King", she said sullenly.

"Hello yourself, child," Shadow King growled back before noting the others standing behind her, "Where is your father? And what are these 'commoners' doing in this realm?"

"The black haired one is here for a duel while the others are here to watch," Yang explained, "I wanted to try and frighten them. Listen, I know how much you love taking people prisoner in your realm, but I can't let you kill any of them…Well…I suppose you _could_ 'accidentally' kill Irving…"

Irving bristled and stamped his foot.

"Oh, alright…" Yang rolled her eyes, "You can't kill any of them…"

"Why _shouldn't_ I kill them?" Shadow King snapped.

"I need to duel the black haired one and my father said the others are to be left alone," Yang sighed, "And, unfortunately, you can't kill my little brother."

"I see," Shadow King sighed, "alright Yang, but if they give my creatures—"

"I have informed them about your creatures," Yang waved him off, "Don't worry. Now I must be off. I have to speak with my other sides about something important…I'm letting _them_ wander around frightened while I do so."

"Wakarimashita," Shadow King nodded, "Then I bid you good day."

"Good day to you too, Shadow King," Yang nodded back in a small bow.

Shadow King closed the door at her words and Yang turned back to the boys.

"Alright, you're all free to wander around out here," she sighed, as she walked away and back up to the door leading away from the Astral Planes, "Try not to get yourselves killed out there!!"

A shiver ran through the spines of everyone else—sans Kokujo; who was the only one to immediately walk off at her words without looking that frightened at all. The others stayed together in a group as they began their own tour, wary of the creatures around them and thankful that Kai was there to possibly ward them off. Walking out of the Astral Plane, Yang walked up to a white door and knocked: no answer.

"I don't like this," she sighed, as she turned, "my conscience only leaves her room to speak with—she wouldn't!"

Yang stormed up to a purple door and knocked like crazy. A Yang in a purple cloak opened the door with a dreamy look on her face and squealed with delight to see Yang.

"Conscience didn't say anything about _you_ visiting me!" she cried happily, "Please come in!"

Yang walked through the door to the room much like hers and found a Yang in a white cloak and glasses looking up and smiling at her.

"Conscience, what are you doing here?" Yang asked angrily.

Conscience smiled like the little deviant she was and stood up.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" she replied in a matter-of-fact tone, adjusting her glasses, "I came to speak with Love."

"Why did you come here to speak with _her_?" Yang snapped.

"Have you forgotten our little conversation already Yang?" Conscience pouted.

Yang grimaced.

"I have not forgotten," she sighed angrily, "but I _am_ curious as to why you'd come here to speak with _Love_ about that."

"You wouldn't admit that I was right!" Conscience scoffed, "Because you wouldn't admit it yourself, I came here to see if I was right…and I am."

Yang glared at her.

"I _told_ you, I 'love' no one," she growled

"That's not what _this_ little emotion said", Conscience argued putting an arm around Love.

Yang continued to glare.

"I am _sick_ of you speaking with my other sides like this!" she yelled, "Why can't you just stay in your room like I instructed?"

"Because I get bored!" Conscience shouted back, "Do you have _any_ idea how _lonely_ it gets in there without someone to talk to or to comfort you?"

Yang looked down with that glare. She knew _exactly_ what that felt like. She felt that way every day. Sitting down on the bed, she looked down.

"Look I know how you feel about being locked up for so long," she replied, "I didn't _want_ any of this. As soon as that little Kirafuda walked through my door I've had nothing but trouble from you and father! Why can't I just be left alone?"

Now her conscience looked a little sympathetic.

"Why would you want to be alone?" she asked, sitting next to her, "Why would you want to be without someone like him?"

"I've been like this ever since mother died," Yang answered, "If you are right, I'm just going to end up alone again when they all leave. I don't want to get close to someone and then have to suffer them leaving me."

She paused and stared at the floor.

"You know," she began slowly, "There are times when I _do_ begin thinking about it like you have. Do you know what it's like to want to get closer to someone, but you know you can't?"

Conscience shook her head. Yang looked back up and stood.

"Anyway, I need to get back," she sighed, "You need to go back to your room while I go fetch the boys. They're waiting for me in the Astral Plane and I need to get this duel over with. The sooner they leave the easier it'll be on me."

"Matte!! You left them in the Astral Plane?" Conscience gasped, "Yang they could be killed!"

"I have everything under control," Yang sighed, walking to the door and opening it, "Now, get back to your room!"

Conscience pouted again and reluctantly stood. She followed Yang out the door before heading straight for her own room. Yang walked back to the Astral Plane. Without much effort, she found all but one in the group of boys huddled close together—scared to death.

"Alright," she sighed, "Get going. You will wait outside the door of the Astral Plane until I come back. Kai, you will keep an eye on them all—if any of them try _anything_, you will stop them. Understood?"

Kai nodded and led the others back out of the Plane. Once they were gone, she walked around, worried. She knew which one was missing and her conscience would slit her throat if she didn't find him—well…not if she slit Conscience's throat first…A sigh of relief escaped her throat when she found him sitting on a cliff overlooking the Astral Plane.

"What are you doing up here?" she asked, walking over and sitting next to him after gaining his attention.

"You said we could take a look around and I've been here watching and looking around this whole 'Astral Plane'", he replied looking over the cliff.

She merely watched him, thinking about what her conscience had told her. Ko found himself uneasy under her stare.

"Nani?" he said interrupting her thoughts.

She said nothing and looked down, blushing slightly. She remembered then why she had come and stood up motioning him to follow.

"Come on," she said, waiting for him, "W-we have to be getting back."

He didn't move and just kept looking around the Astral Plane.

"Do shite?" he asked, not looking up at her.

"I have a duel I need to attend", she replied sternly.

"Couldn't it wait?" Ko sighed, leaning back a little, "I was actually _enjoying_ my time away from Shobu."

The palms of his hands pressed against the ground as he spoke. Yang chuckled a little at this, and sat back down with him.

"You _do_ have a point," she smirked, "And it's nice to get away from Irving as well."

She remembered sitting here with her mother when they wanted to hang out together. She felt horrible now. She had come to the place that made her remember her mother, and she was kind of enjoying it. Kokujo seemed to notice this. He didn't feel anything for anyone, but he knew he had to ask.

"Daijobu ka?" he asked carefully.

She looked up at him and nodded.

"Daijobu," she shrugged, "this is just where my mother and I used to sit when we wanted to get away from everything."

He looked away and thought about what she said. He stood up knowing they should be getting back and she followed suit. She led him out of the Astral Plane and back through the hallway to face Shobu and the others and to finally get this duel underway. She led him outside and out onto the grounds where the duel would take place.

"Oi, Yang-chan," Shobu began, "why do you keep your emotions locked up behind those doors?"

Yang glanced back at him

"Not all of them are emotions," she replied, "They're all a part of my personality. To answer your question, though; I _can't_ show emotions or other parts of my personality."

"Why can't you?" Rekuta piped up.

She stopped and turned to them.

"It is because emotions and feelings get in the way of control," she answered calmly, "Without emotions, I can keep control of my creatures."

"Um...one more question," Shobu asked, scratching his head, "what ever happened to Jamira?"

Yang stared at him for a second, unaffected.

"Must I _really_ let him go?" she asked lamely

"Yes, Yang, ya do," Kai smirked.

Yang sighed and called for her Lupa, Poison-tipped Dolls again. They carried a now severely cut up Jamira and dropped him to her feet.

"Arigato, sweeties," she smiled, patting their heads, "I'll call again if I'm in need of more of your services, but, for now, you can let the little loud-mouthed one go."

They nodded before disappearing into the shadows. Yang turned back around and continued walking. They and a healing Jamira followed silently. Yang walked out into an arena and behind one of the broken table sides.

"Are you ready?" she asked in a frightening tone.

"Born ready," Shobu smirked back.

"Very well," Yang chuckled, "Then let us proceed."


	9. Chapter 8: The Duel

**Luciado: I have no idea where my GBA went so that's of no help. I pretty much winged this whole chapter. I hope ya like it. Yes I do like Zatch Bell and I really liked your fic!

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Disclaimer: ME: Do I reall have to! This is so annoying!

LAWYERS: yes, you do!

ME: fine! I don't own Duel Masters!

LAWYERS: good

ME: ...bastards...

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 8: The Duel

Yin-Yang led Shobu and the others down the hall and out onto the grounds where the duel would take place.

Hey Yin-Yang, why do you keep your emotions locked up behind that door?" Shobu asked.

Yin-Yang glanced back at him and replied, "Not all of them are emotions; they're all a part of my personality. To answer your question; I can't show emotions or other part of my personality."

"Why can't you?" Rekuta piped up.

She stopped and turned to them. "It's because emotions and feelings get in the way of control. Without emotions, I can keep control of my creatures", she said in her calm voice.

"Um...one more question; what happened to Jamira?" Shobu asked scratching his head.

Yin-Yang stared at him for a second, unaffected. "Do I **have** to let him go?"

"Yep."

Yin-Yang sighs and calls her Lupa, Poison-tipped Dolls back to her as they carried a now severely cut up Jamira. They let him go and disappeared into the shadows. Yin-Yang turned back around and continued walking. They and a healing Jamira followed silently. Yin-Yang walked out into an arena and behind one of the broken table sides.

Shobu follows suit and yells, "Deploy shields! Ikuzo!" Five blue, slightly transparent shields appear in front of him.

"Koi! Shields up!" Yin-Yang yelled in return, five shields appearing before her as well.

They stared each other down for a moment and then began charging mana.

"I Summon Mini Titan Ghett and Immortal Barron Vorg!" Shobu yelled as his summoned creatures appeared behind him ready to battle.

Yin-Yang shows no expression

"I summon Bloody Squito and ElfX"

The two creatures appear behind her.

"Now don't get me wrong; usually I would never use anything but Darkness cards, but I find this one entertaining to use."

"Whatever. Immortal Barron Vorg, destroy her shields, Eka!"

"Block the creature Bloody Squito!"

Bloody Squito is destroyed and then Shobu turns his sights on ElfX. Yin-Yang waits patiently as Shobu finishes his turn by destroying ElfX.

She smiles, saying, "Thank you Shobu, for making such a foolish move. You should know that once ElfX is destroyed, its final little spell enables me to summon a creature with one less mana card."

"Rekuta, why didn't you say anything?" Shobu asked looking to Rekuta.

"I'm just gonna stay outta this one Shobu. I don't think it'd be wise to get involved in this duel."

"Your little friend is very bright Shobu; it would be best for him to stay out of this."

Shobu glares, but says nothing, his turn over.

Yin-Yang draws a card. "I now summon Horrid Worm and since this originally cost me three mana cards, I only use two. Though I'm sure an obvious genius like Shobu should've known that."

"Hey, was that an insult!" Shobu pauses and then says, "Don't answer that! I summon Pyro Fighter Magnus & because it's a speed attacker, I can destroy your shields automatically!"

The creature destroys one of her shields, yet she is unaffected and simply waits for the shards to disappear. She held the card from her shield in her hand and held it out smiling wickedly.

"I now play my absolute favorite shield trigger; Terror Pit, to destroy Immortal Barron Vorg!"

Terror Pit appeared in front of them all and dragged the Barron into its depths. Shobu watched in horror. He hadn't actually expected this. Yin-Yang was right; there **were** terrors in this realm he may or may not be able to handle. The pit disappeared, closed off from the world again, after destroying the Barron.

"What's wrong Shobu? You aren't scared are you?" Yin-Yang asked smiling evilly.

Shobu glared, but said nothing, waiting for her to finish her turn.

Yin-Yang drew a card from her deck and held it out summoning her next creature.

"I summon Purple Piercer and end my turn."

Shobu drew a card from his deck and smiled triumphantly. (You can just guess what's coming!)

"I summon Bolshock Dragon!"

Yin-Yang rolls her eyes.

"Saw that coming...ah well. I play Death Smoke to destroy your little Bolshock dragon and, since you have no blockers, I use Purple Piercer to attack your shields! Eka!"

Purple Piercer destroys Shobu's shield. Shobu holds an arm up to block the shield shards.

"Not so confident without your little trump card are you?"

Shobu glares and sets down his next card.

"I summon Brawler Zyler!"

Yin-Yang is then forced to discard Schuka, Duke of Amnesia, though, again, she seems unaffected.

"Whatever, I don't usually use that creature anyway", she said placing Schuka in her graveyard and drawing her next card. She smirked and held the card out.

"I summon Creeping Plague! Now Shobu, witness the power of the Dark!"

The darkness seemed to spread all over them, making Yin-Yang's creatures seem much more menacing, and since the darkness became worse her creatures were almost hidden.

"I also attack your shields again with Purple Piercer, Eka!"

The giant creature behind her once again shatters Shobu's shields leaving the shield count: Yin-Yang-4; Shobu-3.

Shobu glared at her, but said nothing and drew his next card.

"I play Bronze Arm Tribe and attack with Brawler Zyler! Eka!"

Yin-Yang again seems unaffected, and holds the card in her hand.

"I play Locomotiver! If you've never seen this card, it means that when it's put into play, you must discard a card from your hand."

Shobu is forced to discard his evolution creature, Armored Blaster Valdiose.

Yin-Yang smirks and draws another card, smirking evilly again.

"I now summon two Death ligers!"

Two huge Death ligers walk up behind her, one on each side of Yin-Yang, and roar loudly.

"Not too loud Mort!" She yells to the Death liger to her right, who acknowledges her with a slight bow.

"What happened to that cute little kitty 'Mort' used to be?" Shobu asked staring up at the huge cat.

Yin-Yang smirked and replied, "This is Mort's true form and age. You see, I wanted a Death liger, cub and when Mort was born I didn't want him to grow, so I cast a quick little spell that would keep him young until it came time for a Kaijudo duel. When he is called by me he becomes the beautiful creature beside me. In addition to the Death ligers, I also summon a couple Lupa, Poison-Tipped Dolls and finally end my turn by destroying another of your shields with my Purple Piercer!"

Another of Shobu's shields are shattered, though all he can do is shield himself from the shards and take the opportunity to use his shield trigger.

"I use shield trigger, Natural Snare for your Death liger!"

The trigger destroys the Death liger on her left and Shobu draws another card.

"I also summon Gatwing Skyterror!" (sp? No idea if this is right at all!)

Yin-Yang rolls her eyes again and taps her two Lupas.

"Lupa, Poison-tipped Dolls, attack Shobu's shields, Eka!"

Shobu's two remaining shields were destroyed and he knew exactly what would come next. He knew Yin-Yang wouldn't show mercy and he braced himself for the final blow.

"Mort", she looked up at the towering lion. "Tadomeda!"

Instead of using its Deadly Darkness Breath, however, Mort began Bounding up to Shobu and used its Claw Strike which sends Shobu flying back, bleeding horribly from the wound.

Some of he others ran to Shobu's side, but Yin-Yang just stood behind her side of the broken table inhaling the sent of his fresh blood. She put a hand to her head, feeling everything beginning to get fuzzy as she smelt his blood. She dropped to her knees and realizing she hadn't had her regular dose of blood since last month.

She through her head back and screamed, "FATHER!"

Her dad ran outside to find Shobu lying on the ground, bleeding and Yin-Yang on the other side of the arena trying to regain the control she was losing. He put it together quickly and wasted no time in giving orders to the boys.

But he was too late at this point Yin-Yang stood up, her eyes glazed over with hunger and evil as she stared at Shobu. Then, without warning she ran at vampire speed at Shobu, her long, growing fangs bared and ready to rip into his throat.

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**A/N: HAHAHA! I made a cliffie! If you all wanna know if Shobu lives your gonna have to read the next chappy! Plz Review! I know I used Purple Piercer the most, but I want it to be one of her favies cuzIt can't be attacked nor blocked by Light Civilization creatures.**


	10. Chapter 9: Losing Control

**Luciado: ok let me clarify, _Yin-Yang _lost control! Thanx for the review! I'm glad you can still readand reviewthis! Well bye!

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Summary of new chapter: In this one, you'll see a side of Yin-Yang you may never see ever again. You have to read to find out!

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Disclaimer: ME:You know I don't own it right? **

LAWYERS: yes 

ME: then why make me put a disclaimer! 

LAWYERS: ...

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 9: Losing Control

Yin-Yang was about to attack Shobu when something stopped her from getting to him. Grim had had enough time to tell Jamira and Hakuoh to hold Yin-Yang down until they got Shobu to safety and by following his orders; they now had a struggling Yin-Yang held down.

"Princes, you take Shobu inside! Jamira Hakuoh, you two hold Yin-Yang down!" Grim yelled running over to Kokujo. "You, listen, I want you to try and calm those creatures down a bit for me. You use a Darkness deck right?"

"Well yeah but-"

"Then I leave you to the task. I have to go inside and get something from Yin-Yang's room. Now go!" Grim ran over to Jamira and Hakuoh and stood behind them as Kokujo ran off to try to calm the creatures.

"Ok you two, I'm gonna create a portal back inside. Let go of her on my signal alright?" Grim instructed in their ears.

The two merely nodded, afraid to speak and risk letting her go.

Grim made a portal big enough for them to fit through and yelled, "NOW!"

The boys let her go and the three ran through the closing portal to safety.

Yin-Yang spun around only to meet air. She hurriedly began sniffing the air, looking for fresh blood. She caught Kokujo's scent and licked her lips, running after him.

----------------------------------Meanwhile---------------------------------

Kokujo was trying to calm the creatures, but was having the worse experience he'd ever had to live through. Mort came up to him and calmed the creatures telling them to flee this area as soon as possible if they wanted to live. Mort then became the cute little cub that Ko came to kind of like (though not much) and began running back to the house. Ko feels he should follow to get away from Yin-Yang and begins running after him.

Yin-Yang finds Kokujo running after Mort and follows at her vampire speed and catches up silently and easily. She walks behind him following as silent as a mouse, but eventually decides to get his attention.

"Kokujo..." she whispered so only he could hear.

He stops dead at hearing her and turns to meet her hunger and evil filled red eyes. With her vampire strength she pushes Kokujo to the ground and has him pinned. She holds his arms down with her own and straddles his hips, keeping him from escaping. She looks over his chest and, before he can stop her or move his arm to escape, she makes a deep cut in his flesh and pins his arm down again.

He cries out in pain as Yin-Yang cuts into his skin. She then begins licking and sucking his blood, trying to fulfill her hunger. When the cut began to slowly close, she quickly makes a new one, as deep as the first and continues to drink his blood. She repeats this twice more before Grim finds them and drags Yin-Yang off Ko so he can get inside. Kokujo immediately began running to the house as she was pulled off him.

Yin-Yang struggled wanting to reach Ko again. Her struggling was then rewarded with a vile of bark red liquid being shoved into her mouth.

"Drink!" Grim ordered angrily. Yin-Yang obeys, hoping he'd let go so she could catch up to Kokujo while she had the chance. After she began drinking however, things begin to go black. Her father had put the medicine in the blood! Yin-Yang remembered well when she got it. A friend of hers, who was also a half vampire, gave it to her because sometimes she also had some self control problems when it came to blood. When Yin-Yang woke up she caught a glimpse of Kokujo running into her home, doubled over in pain. She hung her head in shame and used her telekinesis to sink into the ground and reappear in her room.

She knew she'd have to tell her other sides about the duel, so she braced herself for what was to come. She walked into the Astral Plane and up to the circle of her other sides, which were waiting for her to tell them what happened.

"I'm not going over every detail alright?" she asked trying to hide her face in shame.

Conscience could tell something was wrong and confronted Yin-Yang. "What's going on Yin-Yang?"

Yin-Yang looked up so they could see the blood smeared on her lips. They knew at once that Shobu must've been badly injured and just guessed that Yin-yang probably lost control, because, being her personality, they knew she hadn't had any blood for a month.

"Yin-Yang, what did you do?" Timid asked in worry.

Yin-Yang hung her head and began telling them how Shobu was injured and how she attacked Kokujo to drink his blood.

Even Timid was angry after hearing about this.

"How could you do this?"

"Why did you let this happen?"

"Now you're gonna be stuck with Prince Irving for the rest of your life!"

"I can't believe you did that to him!"

"Father must be furious!"

Yin-Yang put up with that for about an hour until she was finally able to get away. She pulled the hood of her mother's cloak over her head, covering her face, and walked out of her room with a downcast stare. The others were sitting with a bandaged Shobu and watched her come in and walk over to the counter and pull out a cup and poor some tea in it. She takes a small sip and begins to walk back to her room when her father stops her.

"Yin-Yang, sit down" he said calmly.

Yin-Yang obeyed, not in any position to argue and sat down at the far end of the table far from Shobu and the others and waited for whatever it was Grim wanted.

"Yin-Yang, take the hood off, and tell us exactly what the Hell happened", Grim ordered in an angry tone.

Yin-Yang sighed and lifted her hood. She only told her father what she could remember. When she sensed Shobu's blood her vampire side took over and she didn't remember much of what she did.

They were silent for a few moments until Yin-Yang spoke again.

"Shobu, I am letting you and your friends enter the Sacred Lands tomorrow. There is no reason to force you into another duel in your condition, nor do I wish for another duel. You, like your father, have earned my respect and I feel no regret in letting you go on", Yin-Yang says solemnly.

"Yin-Yang they cannot go tomorrow in these conditions!" Grim half yelled.

Yin-Yang rolled her eyes and stood up, walking back to her room and shortly after coming out with two bottles of some clear liquid and walking up to Shobu.

"Here, you can use this", she said showing him the bottle.

"Do I drink it?" he asked staring at it.

"No, you rub it on the wound. Here I'll show you", she said.

She rolled up one of her sleeve and taking one of her nails and making a small cut in her arm. She then opened the bottle and rubbed it on her wound. She showed him the wound and moments later it began to heal until only a scar was left. Shobu's eyes widened as he watched.

"What is this stuff? How does it do that?" Shobu asked in excitement.

Yin-Yang muttered something incoherent.

"Huh?"

She muttered the same thing but it still came out in a mumble.

"What is it?" Rekuta asked, curious about this.

"It's vampire saliva", she said clearly.

They all gave her disgusted looks.

"How do you think vampires covered their trails after they've fed on a human?"

They shrug their shoulders.

"After they've made a small cut, while the victim's unconscious, and they've drank the blood, they heal the cut with their spit. It's not as bad as it sounds. I'll have you know this isn't mine as well. It's my mother's. It's very, very hard to come by unless you're a full vampire. I'm giving you this", she explained holding out one of the bottles.

"What about the other one?" Shobu asked pointing to the other bottle.

Yin-Yang looked down and walked up to Kokujo.

"Here, this one's for you", she said handing it to him.

When he took it Yin-Yang turned to her father.

"May I go now?"

"No, I believe they deserve an explanation as to why this happened", Grim replied motioning to a seat next to him.

Yin-Yang sat back down. "Alright. As a half vampire, or even for a full vampire, I don't need to drink blood every night. I only need to drink human blood about once every month. Between those times I can eat and drink human food, such as tea", she explained trying to get them to understand.

"Now, there's one more thing, which I'm surprised you didn't remember", Grim continued. "Today is the Anniversary. Rei has already paid her respects, now you may go."

Yin-Yang stood up solemnly and walked to the back door, Grim motioning for the others to follow. She led them to a black door with a beautiful white rose painted on it. Yin-Yang opened it and walked into a dark room lit only with black lights. Black roses lined the rows. It was a Darkness Civilization Green House.

"Yin-Yang's mom made this place. She loved black roses and Yin-Yang loves them too", Grim explained as Yin-Yang picked a few for her mother's grave.

After picking the roses Yin-Yang led them out the back door to a memorial of her mother. She placed the flowers over the grave and sat Indian-style in front of it, nodding to her father.

"Every year I bring Yin-Yang down here and I bring Seraphim's spirit here so they can speak", Grim said raising his scythe.

Seraphim's spirit then appeared before them and even a crying Yin-Yang.

"Hi mom..." she said, knowing she'd have to tell her mom about what happened in the duel.

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**A/N: plz review and tell me what ya think!**


	11. Chapter 10: Confessions

**Disclaimer: don't own Duel Masters**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 10: Confessions

"Hey Yin-Yang, Grim...other people I don't know, how have you been?" Seraphim asked in a happy tone.

Yin-Yang looked down, thinking about how she was gonna tell her mother about everything that had just happened. She looked up at her mother with tear filled eyes, letting her know something was terribly wrong.

"Yin-Yang, are you ok?" Seraphim asked in a now worried voice.

"Mother, something bad has happened...something very bad..."Yin-Yang replied looking 2 the side.

"What's going on? Grim, what'd you do?"

"Dad didn't do anything mom...I did..." Yin-Yang said, looking down and letting some of her hair fall across her face.

"What do you mean?"

Grim was about to start in with one of those, 'She is **_your_** daughter', lectures, but Yin-Yang stops him.

"A few hours ago, I dueled Shobu in a Kaijudo. I won, but he was badly wounded and began bleeding from the wound Mort gave him with his Claw Strike. I hadn't had any blood for a month...so when I smelt his blood, the vampire took over. I only remember blacking out, after I drank the medicine I saw one running back into the house, I had blood all over my hands, and some smeared on my lips", she explained hanging her head in shame.

Seraphim didn't need Yin-Yang to say anymore. She understood everything...well almost everything.

"Just answer me one question Yin-Yang; which one is Shobu?" Seraphim asked in confusion.

Yin-Yang points to him. "The little black haired boy with the lavender shirt..."

"Alright...so besides what's happened today, how have you been?" Seraphim asked.

"You mean you're not gonna yell at me?" Yin-Yang asked, looking up at her.

"Why would I yell at you?"

"My other sides wouldn't stop yelling...I thought you would be angry..."  
"This is the only day in a whole year that I'm able to actually spend with my daughter...there's no way I'm wasting that time yelling at you."

Yin-Yang smiled up at her mother and thanked her. She then told her about something else she had wanted to speak with her about.

"Mother, tell father to call off this betrothal...please", Yin-Yang begged.

"What betrothal? Your father never mentioned a betrothal", Seraphim replied glaring at Grim.

"He's gonna force me to marry Prince Irving, and he never told you about it!"

"No he didn't...Grim what's going on?"

"Well honey, come on, you said yourself to try and join Light Civilization Land with the Darkness Civilization. That's all I was trying to do!" Grim tries explaining.

"When I said that, I meant through a treaty or something. I never once said anything about marriage. The betrothal is off. Grim you of all people should know how much she (and I for that matter) hates him. Is there anything else Yin-Yang?" Seraphim asked after rounding on Grim.

Yin-Yang thought for a moment and turned back to them. She sighed and said that there was nothing else.

"Alright Yin-Yang, I will see you next year then. I love you."

"I love you too mom..."Yin-Yang said, crying a little.

With that Seraphim vanished. Grim turned to the others at seeing poor Yin-Yang sitting there so miserably and told them that one of them would have to talk to her. He turned his back and the others all took a step back except Kokujo (who didn't know what they did) and when Grim turned around he was relieved that Ko had 'stepped forward'.

"Oh thank you! Alright you go talk to her, we'll wait inside." Grim said pushing past Ko & practically dragging the others behind him.

Kokujo rolled his eyes and walked over to her and sat down. Yin-Yang stared down, her eyes shadowed by her bangs.

"I'm sorry for what I've done to you...I should never have let this happen. I was careless to wait so long before feeding on blood. I understand if you won't forgive me", Yin-Yang said not daring to look up.

"Why do you care anyway?" Ko asked a little confused at the fact she was apologizing.

"My conscience keeps talking to me about how long I've been alone. She reminds me of how long I've had to pretty much fend for myself. I've never been able to actually talk to anyone like this...I've never had anyone who could help me when I need it. No one understands me, so I just sit in my room, waiting for another little punk to duel. I beat them, and they go home...but this kind of thing has never happened before."

Ko stays silent for a minute, thinking about what she said.

Yin-Yang thought about what Rei had told her.

--------------------------------Flashback------------------------------

_"Did you tell him?" Rei asked excitedly._

_"Yeah I told Irving he was ugly-"_

_"No! I mean, did you tell that boy you like him?"_

_Yin-Yang's eyes grew wide._

_"No...I haven't told him", she replied looking away._

_Rei looked a little disappointed and Yin-Yang decided to see what she was thinking._

'She should tell him...'_ Rei thought laying back._

---------------------------------End Flashback------------------------------

_'Maybe I should tell him'_, Yin-Yang thought, looking up at him. She had just noticed that he had been staring at her, wondering what she was thinking, and blushed furiously. He looked away and stared at her mother's grave.

"So she was really close to you wasn't she?" he asked breaking the silence.

Yin-Yang nodded. "She was the only person who ever understood me...I remember her funeral well..."

--------------------------------Flashback------------------------------

_They were carrying a coffin full of her mother's bones. A six year old Yin-Yang was clutching to her father's cloak, crying. She was in the denial stage now. _

_She cried into her father's cloak as they began burying her yelling, "Daddy, why are they burying Mommy? Why hasn't she woken up yet!"_

_"She's gone Yin-Yang. She's not coming back..." Grim said crying._

_"No! She can't be gone! She promised she'd always be with me! She said she'd only be gone for a while! She promised!"_

---------------------------------End Flashback------------------------------

Yin-Yang couldn't help but cry, she missed having someone around who understood and cared about her.

Kokujo watched her, thinking about what she'd just told him. She didn't have anyone. He really didn't want to care about her, especially after what she'd done, but she'd apologized...and it sounded like she meant it...she was crying! She had to of meant it! He put an arm around her and let her cry on him. She looked up at him and blushed again. She smiled and cried into his chest, whispering, "Thank you..."

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**A/N: hope ya liked it! Plz review!**


	12. Chapter 11: My Heart

**A/N: ok...Luciado...I don't even wanna know what went through your mind when u reviewed me last, but...you know what, don't Idon't wanna know...Anyway, hope you guys like this one! I had to change something cuz I just remebered something that came to mind and knew I'd have to use it! Plz tell me what you think!

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Disclaimer: ok...I don't own Duel Masters. I never have...and I probably never will...**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 11: My Heart

Yin-Yang sat with Kokujo for a while, thinking of her mother. A memory of something her mother used to say came to mind.

"The hands of fate keep time on a heart-shaped watch", she said recalling her words.

"Huh?" Ko asked in confusion, looking down at her.

Yin-Yang looked up at him. "I don't know what it means; my mother just said it a lot. When I asked about it, she said that I would find out later, but I never have", she explained.

She pulled away from him and stood, immediately missing his warmth.

"Thank you again for comforting me", she said bowing slightly.

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked stopping her.

She sat back down. "Because no one has ever done that for me...I've never had anyone who could comfort me like you have. Ever since my mother died, I've been alone...the only people I've ever been able to talk to before now are my other sides", she paused, wanting to tell him that her conscience was right. She wanted to tell him she did love him, but she felt that it was too awkward. "If you will excuse me, I must be off. I have to meditate. Thank you again", she said walking back to the house in tears.

Kokujo decided to follow to see that Astral Plane again. The place was really peaceful.

Yin-Yang walked back to her room, Kokujo following close behind. She walked into the room and left the door open a little so Mort could get out if he wanted. She sat on the bed and stared down. Mort jumped into her lap and looked up at her through sad eyes. Rei had gone off to play in the Astral Plane. Yin-Yang began petting Mort.

"I'm afraid to go back Mort. I don't want to hear them yell at me again. Especially Conscience...you know how she was trying to get me to admit it. Why is this so hard?" She asked crying.

Mort gave her a confused look, asking without really speaking, "What do you mean?"

"Why is it so hard to tell your mind to stop loving someone when your heart still does", she explained crying a little.

Listening to her word, Kokujo thought she had meant her mother, seeing as how broken up she seemed over her mere moments ago.

"Come on Mort; It's time to go to the Astral Plane", she said standing up. She walked over to the door and walked through.

As soon as she was through the door Ko followed slowly, so as not to disturb her many dark pets. He looked though the black portal and, making sure she wouldn't see him, walked in and followed her carefully. She walked into the Astral Plane, leaving the door slightly open so she could make a quick escape if necessary. Ko felt he just had to listen in on their conversation.

"There you are! What happened? You disappear to get some tea, promising to come back, and you stay down there for like, an hour! What were you doing?" Conscience yelled in anger.

"My father had me explain everything to Shobu and the others."

Slight gasps were heard from her other sides.

"How is he?"

"Is he ok?"

"Is he healing well?"

"Was he mad at you for what you did?"

Her other sides just bombarded her with questions. At first Kokujo, didn't get why they asked such questions, but after the last one he kind of understood.

'Why are they asking questions about me?' he thought blushing a little.

"Look I don't wanna talk about this", Yin-Yang said, looking down.

Anger glared at her. "At least tell us what happened with mother", she said in her angry tone.

"It was the same as usual, well besides explaining the duel, crying before the others and into Kokujo's chest and speaking with him, You know what I need to meditate", Yin-Yang said quickly blushing madly and beginning to walk away.

Love stepped in front of her. "You mean he actually held you! Yin-Yang, why didn't you tell us! The boy you love actually held you close and you neglected to tell us!" Love practically yelled, grabbing Yin-Yang's arm.

Yin-Yang went beet red, but that was pale compared to how red Ko went after hearing this. He turned away and walked out of her room still blushing fiercely.

"Love, just drop it! I don't love anyone! I will never love anyone; not now, not ever!" Yin-Yang yelled walking back to the door.

She began walking back to her room, crying because she had to lie so much. She found her door open a little and walked out to try and find Shobu. She found them all at the dining room table again, Kokujo looking down, trying to hide his still red face.

"Shobu, it's getting late, you should get your rest. You rubbed that vampire saliva on your wounds didn't you?" she asked looking away from Kokujo.

"Yeah, but why do I have to rest?" Shobu replied a little confused.

"It'll help the wounds heal faster. Believe me; rest is the one thing you definitely need. I'll even lend you one of my Edgar Allen Poe books to help you sleep", she explained handing him a book.

Shobu opened it and looked over the pages.Yin-Yang watched him and decided to make a quick remark.

"It's called reading. Top to bottom, left to right. Put words together to make a sentence! Take Tylenol for any headaches, Midol for any cramps", she finished, turning around and walking back to her room.

Shobu glared but he and others took her advice and walked back to their rooms, leaving Kokujo alone. He then stood and walked quietly to her room. He knocked on the door and heard rustling of sheets and a faint, "Come in." He opened the door to find it unlocked and walked in.

Yin-Yang was pleasantly surprised to see him. She had already gotten ready for bed and was about to sleep when someone interrupted. She made sure to hide the plushie and was now staring up at Ko with a confused expression on her pale face.

"Listen, I really wanted to know something...I followed you to the Astral Plane", he began.

Yin-Yang felt her eyes grow wide, but stayed quiet.

"I heard you talking to your other sides; is what they said true?"

Yin-Yang buried her face in her hands, wanting nothing more than to die. She hated her emotions more than Prince Irving; that's a whole new degree of hatred most people never know!

Her silence was his answer and he looked away.

"I bet you think me an idiot. I claim to have no feelings. I don't want to", she said staring down, letting tears fall. "I need to have a word with my other sides...this shouldn't have happened."

"Why do you say that?" he asked as she stood up.

She looked back at him. "Because the last person I loved left me. It was my mother. I don't wanna have that feeling of thinking someone will always be with me. It won't happen. You're leaving with Shobu tomorrow and there's nothing I can do!" she replied with tears. "If you don't mind, I need to speak with them. I want you to go back to your room."

Ko stood up, he'd heard enough anyway. After he left Yin-Yang went through the portal into her mind to speak with herself...again.

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**A/N: I hope this was good! Plz R&R**


	13. Chapter 12: Cut It Out, Death Touch Sign

**Luciado: uhh...ok...I've got nothing to really say to that...

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A/N: hope you guys like this one!

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Disclaimer: If it'll get the lawyers off my back, I don't own Duel Masters...Also I'd like to thank the creaters of 'The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy' b/c there's something I have in here that kinda crosses with that...**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 12: Cut It Out/Death Touch Sign

Yin-Yang ran up to the door to the Astral Plane and up to her other sides.

"How could you do this to me!" she yelled, tears streaming from her red eyes.

"Do what to you?" Anger snapped.

Yin-Yang glared and told them what happened.

"Oops...well now you don't have to tell him", Conscience said smiling.

"He knows a lie..." Yin-Yang said sternly.

"Yeah right...Yin-Yang you're in love. You can't change that", Conscience retorted in an angry voice.

"You must follow your heart's desire; it's the only thing that can lead you on the path to true happiness", Love said in a dreamy voice.

'The heart...of course', Yin-Yang thought, coming up with a way to end this.

She walked out of the Astral Plane to find her father and Prince Irving playing a Poker.

Without looking up from his cards, her dad asked, "Hey Yin-Yang, what are you doing up this late?"

Irving looked up, smiling after laying down a winning hand.

"Irving you little cheater!" Grim yelled as the Light Civilization prince ran back to his room.

"Father I want you to cut it out!" Yin-Yang ordered in her angry tone.

"Hey, Irving started this ok-"

"No, not that; my heart. I want you to cut out my heart!" Yin-Yang said morbidly.

"That, I can do!" Grim said standing up and taking her to their dungeon.

"I can't believe you're actually gonna do this", Yin-Yang said, her face expressionless.

"You asked..." he said tying her down. "So, to whom do I owe credit for this?"

"I'm in love with Shobu's friend Kokujo", she growled distastefully.

Her father set his sickle down and stared at her in disbelief.

"Come again?"

"You heard me; I'm in love with Kokujo" Yin-Yang said glaring to the side.

"You have to be kidding. You want me to cut out your heart because you're in love!" he asked almost yelling.

Yin-Yang glared and nodded as he untied her.

"I am not gonna do that!" he said helping her off the table she was just tied to.

"Fine! I going to my room and I won't come out until they're gone!" she yelled running up to her room and going to bed.

-----------------------------------Morning-----------------------------------

Shobu walked into the kitchen feeling way better and found a note on the table. The others followed also feeling more refreshed. Shobu read the note finding out it was from Yin-Yang.

"_Shobu,_

_I'm sorry to say that I can't accompany you to the Sacred Lands, but I'm afraid I just do not wish to be seen. Please forgive my absence. The Princes shall escort you to the portal and see you off. I bid you and your friends' farewell._

_Even in Death May Ye Be Triumphant!_

_Yin-Yang_

_P.S: Remind the Princes to give the Death Touch Sign. Tell them that if they don't, I'll skin them alive."_

"What the heck does this mean; 'Even in Death May Ye Be Triumphant'?" Shobu asked staring down at the note.

"It means she wished you all luck, even if you die in the Sacred Lands", Irving explained.

Ko had been quiet all morning and even while they walked to the portal, he said nothing, thinking about what had happened.

When they arrived at the portal the Princes were about to just leave them when Shobu stopped them.

"Hey guys, Yin-Yang said to in her note to remind you to give us the 'Death Touch Sign'...ok what does that mean?" he asked looking down at the note.

"Do we have to?" Prince Melvin asked in disgust.

Shobu nodded. The Princes sighed and put their middle fingers to their foreheads, their index and pointer fingers on their eyelids, and spread their thumbs and pinkies apart as far as they'd go.

"Luck!" they yelled in unison.

"What does that mean?" Shobu asked.

"Just go!" Irving yelled.

Shobu ran through as they yelled after him, "Even in Death May Ye Be Triumphant!"

Rekuta and Hakuoh followed after Shobu, but Ko stayed behind.

"What about you?" Melvin asked.

Coming up with a good enough excuse, "I've already been to the Sacred Lands. I only came to see Shobu die, but I'm not following him into the Sacred Lands. Hakuoh and that little munchkin are the only ones dumb enough to do that, and Jamira has no choice but to stay here..."

Ko began walking back to Yin-Yang's home.

---------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------

As Shobu and the others walked to the portal, Yin-Yang watched through her dark window, crying. She stared after them, knowing she was right; she couldn't get close to anyone. She'd just end up alone again. She watched as they went through the portal one-by-one, and turned away when she though Ko would go through. She cried to herself, her back against the wall, waiting for it to be over. When she looked back she saw the Prince leaving. Kokujo had already gotten out of her sight so she didn't see him walk back inside and continued crying.

"I'll never see them again...things can finally get back to normal..." she whispered, letting tears trickle down her cheeks.

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**A/N: Hope this was good! Plz Review!**


	14. Chapter 13: Misery

**A/N: I hope you guys like this! I put a lot of effort into this chapter. I really hope ya like it.

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Disclaimer: ME: will you leave me alone? I already said I don't own it! **

LAWYERS: yes... 

ME: fine I don't own Duel Masters

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 13: Misery

After Shobu entered the Sacred Lands, Kokujo had stayed with Prince Irving and Yin-Yang was worse off then before Shobu arrived. When it came time for another P.L.O.O.P meeting, Grim forced Yin-Yang to go. Ko had decided to stay in the room provided for him while the meeting wore on. Yin-Yang walked in and sat down with Prince Irving. As usual, the other members were late so she had to sit there in a living Hell! Every once in a whole, she would look down at something and sigh.

"What's that?" Irving asked at one point, wanting to know what she kept looking at.

She looked up at him and put the object away. "It's nothing... just a memory..." she said looking down, wanting the others to get their asses down there so she could get on with her miserable life.

About a half hour later only two others had arrived and since they wouldn't start the meeting without everyone, Yin-Yang was beginning to feel herself go insane.

She began banging her head on the table yelling loud enough for the whole house to hear, "GOD KILL ME NOW!"

Kokujo looked out his door and down the hall, he snuck downstairs, making sure he couldn't be seen.

"What is wrong with you? Why didn't you want to come here?" Princess Pollyanna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I hate all P.L.O.O.P members and I know what Prince Irving wants to discuss, even though my mother called it off", Yin-Yang yelled standing and pointing to Irving.

"Your father won't listen to the word of a dead woman", Irving retorted, smirking.

Yin-Yang almost looked ready to burst into tears, but she forced them back. He had the nerve to insult not only her mother, but her father as well. She wouldn't stand for this.

"How dare you? My father loved her...she was everything to him", she said in a sort of shaky voice.

"Yes, she **was.** Whoever said he still loved her?"

"If he didn't love her than why would he bring her spirit back every year?"

"He does that for you and you know it. Besides if he really did love her, he wouldn't have let her die."

He crossed the line then, Ko could tell.

"My father did not do this to her. It was one of your creatures. Your mother lost control of her creature. It's her fault she's dead. I would be damned if my father made me marry you. I don't deserve to suffer like that", she said beginning to walk away.

"What makes you think that? You could've killed that boy when you drank from him. You lost control. So you say, you're no better than my mother", Irving said, making her stop.

Yin-Yang clenched her fists so tight; blood began to drip down her knuckles to the floor.

"Don't bring that up"

"Why not? It was the vampire blood in you that made it happen. Your mother was the cause of this. Her vampire blood runs though your veins. You may even die from the same fate if you continue to disobey your father or you'll just end up alone..."

"Shut up!...I'm leaving..." she said walking through the door, crying. Ko walked into the dining room where she had suffered Irving's poisonous words and glared at him. He said nothing and followed Yin-Yang back to the Darkness Civilization realm.

She decided to walk home, to try and walk off the pain.

'How dare he say those horrible things about my mother', she thought, wiping her tears on the sleeve of her mother's cloak. "I hate him. Father knows that. He won't let this happen", she muttered, through her sobbing.

Kokujo caught up with her and walked behind her slowly.

"Hey, are you ok?" he asked, making her stop dead.

"I thought you left with Shobu", she said, her tear-filled eyes widening.

"I didn't want to go. Again, are you ok?" he asked, a little concern lining his voice.

"No...If you had just heard what he said to me..." she cried.

"I heard...I'm sorry..." he said.

"Why should you be sorry?"

"Because, for some reason...I don't even know...I don't want him to hurt you", he replied blushing a little.

She turned to him and stared for a few minutes.

"You don't?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

"No..." he said staring her in the eyes.

She felt more tears threaten to fall, but forced them back again.

"I have to get home", she said turning around and walking away.

"May I come with you? I'd rather not stay with him", he asked.

"Alright, if you don't mind the walk", she replied looking back at him.

He walked next to her. "Why don't you just make a portal?" he asked staring down at her.

"I could...I just didn't want to have to face my other sides yelling at me again..." she replied, crying.

"Can't they only speak with you in that hallway or in one their rooms?" he asked.

"That's true, but I also need to meditate at some time. Sometimes my father interrupts me while I meditate in my room, that's why I go to the Astral Plane...I wanna get away."

"I could stay with you in your room; keep your father from interrupting your thoughts."

"You would do that for me?"

"Sure...I like your room...and I'd like to spend more time with you", he said looking to the side.

Yin-Yang blushed and smiled up at him. She took his arm and held it close to her as they walked.

"Thank you..."

"For what?"

"For caring about me when no one else has..." she replied crying.

He smiled faintly down at her as they walked and talked about their hate for Prince Irving. In no time they reached the portal leading from Fire Civilization Land to her Darkness Civilization Land.

"Hey, you ever ridden a Death Liger?" she asked smiling up at him as she brought a Death Liger to them.

"No, I haven't", he replied, a little confused.

She smiled up at him and gave the Death Liger and order to bow and she got on. She motioned for him to get on behind her and he hesitated.

"Are you sure it's alright to ride this?" he asked.

"Do you trust me?" she asked staring at him with soft eyes.

He nodded and got on behind her. She smiled and lay back a little so she was leaning against his chest and told him to hold on. As the Death Liger took off running to her home, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, not wanting to fall off. She smiled and kept the Death Liger on course and with the cat's speed they arrived at her front door shortly. For the first time since her mother died, Yin-Yang was happy. She helped Ko off and led him inside.

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**A/N: I hope this was good! Plz review me!**


	15. Chapter 14: Back into the Astral Plane

**Luciado: ok...are you even trying to give actual reveiws? Cuz what your writing to me makes no sense...

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**A/N: to those who have read my story, 'Bankotsu's Princess', I haven't really had many ideas and I'm working on trying to write on. Anyway, Plz keep reading and reviewing!

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**

Disclaimer: Don't own Duel Masters

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 14: Back into the Astral Plane

Yin-Yang walked in with Kokujo following.

"Hey dad, I'm home", she said walking past her father.

"Hey, Yin-Yang, oh you're back too?" Grim replied noticing Kokujo.

"Yeah...I decided to come back after what happened", Ko replied following Yin-Yang.

"What happened? The meeting couldn't be over already", Grim asked looking at his watch.

"That bastard of a Prince insulted you and mother. I couldn't stay. You don't even know what it was about", Yin-Yang replied walking to her room.

Grim held Kokujo back for a minute. "What did he say to her? And why is there blood on the floor?" he asked in an angry tone while looking down at the floor where Yin-Yang had been walking.

"He said you wouldn't listen to her mother and that you'd make her marry him anyway. He also said you didn't love her mother anymore and that you only bring her back for Yin-Yang. He said that you let her die. I guess she was so angry with him that she clenched her fist tightly and made them bleed."

"Did he say anything else to her?"

"He brought up the duel..."

"Alright I'll talk to him, you go talk with Yin-Yang", Grim said walking outside and making a portal to Light Civilization Land.

Kokujo walked down the hall to Yin-Yang's room and heard faint music coming from inside. He knocked and entered when she said. He found her on her bed, lying on her stomach and stroking her pet tarantula (that Shobu wanted to touch) with her bandaged hands. The music was coming from her boom box and when Ko came in and heard the lyrics, he thought it must be another Seether song.

At one point while standing there, he heard her faintly sing in a trance-like voice to herself along with the music, while stroking her spider, "_Can anybody save me?_"

She smiled a little as she stroked her pet. "You're my only friend Madam Octa..."

"Excuse me?" Ko asked raising an eyebrow.

She sat up and picked the tarantula off of the bed. She then walked back over to its cage and placed it inside. She let the song finish and then turned off her CD player. She walked back over to her bed and sat back down. Ko walked over to her and sat with her.

She looked up at him and said, "That music helps me relax and keeps my thoughts in check. Any visitors usually have to be very quiet around Madam Octa. I need to be in complete control and I can't have any distractions. Also what I just said; forget about it."

"It's fine...anyway, are you ok?"

"That depends; did you tell my father what happened?"

"Yeah, I did. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I just know what Irving will say when father talks with him."

"Why are you still thinking about it?"

"I just don't want him talking to me like that. I hate him...I hate him so much, I want him dead!"

She cries a little, remembering what Irving had said.

Ko put an arm around her like before and held her close as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

---------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------

Grim had just arrived in front of Irving's home (Where the meeting was held) and, without bothering to knock, he burst through the door. He waltzed up to the little bastard and stared him straight in the eye.

"How dare you say such thing's to my daughter?" he asked sternly.

"Did she come home crying?" Irving asked ignoring the protests from the other members about their interrupted meeting.

"No, she came home bleeding. But not crying. I didn't even hear about this from her."

"That little bastard! I gave him shelter and he betrays me", Irving said under his breath, looking down.

"I'm glad he said something."

"What do you mean?" Irving asked, his head snapping up to look at Grim.

"I wouldn't have ever let (or forced) Yin-Yang to come here if I'd known she'd been treated like this! She never told me! After all of the meetings she just went up and locked herself in her room. She never told me she's had to suffer you like that!"

Irving remained silent.

"Listen, I'm not going against Seraphim's wishes. F.Y.I; I still love her. This betrothal is off. Get that through your thick skull." Grim finished about to walk away.

"There's one more thing Grim", Irving said stopping him. "I have heard Yin-Yang speak of Vampaneze and that they kill those they drink from-"

"That's just in one of her books: Cirque du Freak."

"How do you know they aren't real?" Irving said with a sinister smile.

Grim sighed and sat down, thinking, 'I might need to hear this.'

------------------------Back with Yin-Yang and Ko----------------------

Yin-yang sat up and looked down at something in her hand.

"What's that?" Ko asked staring at her hand.

Yin-Yang smiled and looked up at him. "Remember what I told you? My mother's old saying; 'The hands of fate keep time on a heart shaped watch'."

"Yeah."

"When she died my father put her things in a special room. Well I finally decided to go through my mother's things and I found this", she explained holding up a heart-shaped watch.

"Is this what your mother meant?"

"No, I still haven't figured out what she meant."

Kokujo looked down at her and then lay back on her bed closing his eyes.

Yin-Yang looked over at him and smiled faintly.

-------------------------Back with Grim and Irving-----------------------

"You think Yin-yang is becoming a vampaneze?" Grim asked in disbelief.

"You know she could be. She does like killing her opponents."

"Then why was she so upset after she had dueled Shobu?"

"When she drank from that boy she felt like she could've killed him and that probably frightened her because she thought she might be turning into a vampaneze."

"Yin-Yang could never become vampaneze! She hates them! She would never become one and betray her mother!"

"How do you know? She's never actually proven that she doesn't like killing! Don't you remember what she said when she first met Shobu?"

------------------------------Quick Flashback------------------------------

_Yin-Yang turned to her father. "Dad, can I borrow your sickle?" she asked smiling evilly._

--------------------------------End Flashback-------------------------------

"You know what she wanted to try and pull; she wanted to kill Shobu right then and there." Irving pointed out.

Now Grim was worried; Seraphim had always hated the Vampaneze and so does Yin-Yang. If she's becoming one, they'll surely know about it and come to take her away.

"I have to go Irving. Remember what I told you", Grim said walking to the door and making a portal home.

----------------------------- Yin-Yang and Ko-----------------------------

"Thank you so much for staying here with me for so long. No one would ever do the same if they were in your position", Yin-Yang said smiling.

Ko sat up and gave her a kind of confused look. "Not even your dad would do that?"

"No, he wouldn't."

There was a knock on her door and she opened it for her father who was looking at her in worry.

"Yin-Yang, I was just speaking with Irving, he said you might be turning into a vampaneze", he said, worry lacing his voice.

Yin-Yang gave him a, you've-got-to-be-friggen-kidding-me look and said calmly, "What are you talking about?"

"He said that you could be turning vampaneze! You love to kill people, and, god forbid, we bring up that last duel", Grim said, trying to keep her calm.

Yin-Yang thought about that for a minute and remained quiet until Ko interrupted the silence.

"What in the name of Hell is a 'Vampaneze'!"

Yin-Yang looked back at him, forgetting he was there for a moment and replied, "They're vampires who believe in killing those they drink from. My mother hated them, and I hate them to this day. I would never wish, nor would I ever become a vampaneze."

"Yin-Yang, what would happen if they figured out what had happened that day?" Grim asked bringing her attention back to him.

"They'll come for me...but I wouldn't worry father. They aren't that smart. If you don't mind I'm going to the Astral Plane. Ko, would you like to come with?" Yin-Yang asked turning back to Kokujo.

Ko nodded and stood up. Yin-Yang gave her father one last reassuring look and led Ko to the Astral Plane. As soon as she opened the door her other sides began bombarding her and Kokujo with questions.

"Yin-Yang where were you?"

"Are you still hurt from what happened?"

"What happened during the meeting?"

"Didn't you leave with Shobu?"

"Yin-Yang, why are you back so soon?"

"Are your wounds healing alright?"

"I can see why you didn't wanna come back here!" Ko whispered in Yin-Yang's ear as they pushed past her other sides.

Yin-Yang glared at all of them and finally yelled, "SHUT UP! WE JUST WANNA BE LEFT ALONE!"

Squeals could be heard after she said that.

"Not like that!" Ko yelled over their squealing, blushing and knowing what they thought she meant.

Yin-Yang had also gone very red. How dare they think that! She would never do that, EVER! She led Ko away from them and to the cliff they sat at before and sat with him, finally enjoying the silence.

"What is with them?" Ko asked staring back.

"Some of them have dirty minds, while the others are just nosey", she replied glaring over her shoulder.

Ko smiled at the silence, enjoying finally being away from everything. He would definitely enjoy his stay here.

Yin-Yang saw him smiling and said, "I'm glad you like this place. It's the only place I can come to whenever I really want to be alone. But I've never been able to really enjoy this place with anyone else."

Ko smiled and looked up at the inky, black sky sprinkled with stars.

"I've always loved the night. Even though I can walk out in daylight, nighttime is just always the most beautiful time of the day. I can always find peace and think of my mother at night. So, when I created this Astral Plane, I wanted it to always be night. No other time of day could be suitable for my mind."

"I like it..." Ko said, silencing her.

She looked up at him and smiled. 'I will never become a vampaneze. I could never kill him or any other human by drinking from them. Even if they threaten to kill me I won't go with them...unless they threaten to kill him...then I'll have no choice', she thought, feeling like crying at the idea that it might happen.

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**A/N: I hope this was good! Plz Review!**


	16. Chapter 15: They're Coming

**Luciado: Ur a freak too...**

**Disclaimer, don't own Duel Masters, or the Vampaneze...(Have to thank Darren Shan for his brilliance on that)**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 15: They're coming...

Yin-Yang and Ko sat watching over Astral Plane until Yin-Yang's internal clock told her it was getting late. (Being a vampire, she had to know the time even if the sun never rose or set.) She rubbed her eyes, feeling a little tired.

Ko looked over at her. "Are you tired?"

Yin-Yang looked up at him. "A little, but don't worry, I can make it back on my own if you'd like to stay."

He yawns and stands up. "Nah...I'm getting kinda tired as well. Let's head back", he said, helping her up.

Yin-Yang led him back to the portal and helped him push past her other sides so they could leave. When they finally made it to her room she walked over to her door and opened it for him. He walked out and told her goodnight.

"See you in the morning", she said as he walked away.

She walked over to her dresser and pulled on her black pajamas. She then walked over to her bed, slid under the covers and fell fast asleep.

Grim was sitting in the kitchen reading the paper, making sure he didn't miss anyone in the obituaries. He looked over at one of the skulls Yin-Yang had kept in the kitchen in case anything horrible or evil may happen (besides what's happened while Shobu was there it hadn't done much of anything) Although, now it was glowing a faint red. The last time that had happened was when Yin-Yang's mother was killed. At first Grim paid no attention to it and let it glow, but after about an hour of glowing like it had been, Grim became suspicious because he had just then noticed that Seraphim wasn't home yet.

"But why glow now? Nothing could be going wrong yet", Grim said to himself walking over to the window to try and spot anything. Nothing could really be seen. Grim walked down the hall and ran into Ko.

"What's with you?" he asked staring at the almost retired Reaper.

Grim ignored him and walked straight up to Yin-Yang's door and knocked loudly, waking her up. She walked over to her door and opened it to reveal her father standing there looking kind of flustered.

"Why did you deliberately wake me up?" she asked staring at him, still in her pajamas.

"Yin-Yang, I need you to come into the kitchen for a minute. This is important", Grim said quickly.

Yin-Yang rolled her eyes and followed him into the kitchen to where her skull was still glowing. She sat down and stared at the skull confused.

"Why is it doing that? The last time it did that it meant Seraphim had died. Why would this be happening now?" Grim asked as she continued to stare.

"I honestly have no clue", she replied looking up at him then back at the skull.

"What about what Irving said?" Ko asked causing them to look over at him.

"Holey Hell, Yin-Yang!" Grim exclaimed staring at the skull.

Yin-Yang remained silent, thinking.

"How are we supposed to know if they're coming?" Grim asked worriedly.

Yin-Yang sighed and looked up at him. "We could use the Looking Glass", she said solemnly.

"Hell no! I am not gonna go ask my good-for-nothing brother for anything!" Grim yelled in anger.

"You have a brother?" Ko asked looking over at him.

"His name is Shadow King. He rules over the Astral Plane" Grim explained.

"Father we have to find out. There's nothing wrong with Shadow King", Yin-Yang said standing up.

"Yeah but-" Grim started.

"But nothing. If the Vampaneze **are** coming, I'm not letting you get me or anyone else killed by them because of some stupid feud you're having with your older brother" Yin-Yang exclaimed ready to lead them to the Astral Plane.

Grim followed her reluctantly as she led him and Kokujo to the Astral Plane again. She pushed past her other sides and took them to Shadow King's door. She knocked and he opened it wide.

"Hey Shadow King, listen, we need a favor", Yin-Yang said staring him straight in the eye.

"What could my younger brother, his daughter and some kid I don't know want in my home?" Shadow King asked staring at them angrily.

"We need to use your looking glass", Yin-Yang answered calmly.

"Why do you need to use it?" Shadow King inquired, his curiosity growing.

"We believe the Vampaneze may be coming and we want to use the looking glass so we can be sure", Grim explained coldly.

Shadow King mulled it over and finally gave in. "Alright, you may use it. Do you remember where to find it in the Astral Plane?"

"Yes, don't worry, we'll find it", Yin-Yang replied walking away.

Shadow King closed his door as they walked away and they walked throughout the Astral Plane for many hours. They finally came to a large clearing after searching through thick, dark woods and found what looked like a table with a large piece of glass covering the top. The table almost looked as if it were a box, because it looked as if some sort of purple gas was floating along the bottom of the glass. They walked up to it and Yin-Yang looked deep into it.

"What danger is coming to us?" she asked calmly.

The purple gas began to swirl and had shortly shown them an image of many figures. They had purple skin, red hair, and white faces. Yin-yang's eyes grew wide at the site.

"Father, it's them", she said shakily.

"What are they?" Ko asked, staring at the strange and very ugly creatures.

"They're Vampaneze" Grim replied.

"I thought they were vampires! What happened to their skin?" Ko exclaimed.

"They drink so much blood that their skin and hair color changes", Yin-Yang explained her eyes wide with fear.

"Irving thinks you're turning into that?" Ko asked in disbelief.

"Apparently so...Father?" Yin-Yang said looking over at Grim.

Grim stayed silent and stared down. Yin-Yang knew what that meant. She was gonna have to do the one thing she couldn't want if her life depended on it (which it did)

About an hour later they were standing in front of a large door. Yin-Yang was still in her pajamas and she was standing in front miserably. The door opened to reveal a now very happy Prince Irving.

"We need a favor", Yin-Yang said miserably.

_If you value your life or reason, keep away from the Morgue . –Mandy_

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**A/N: yeah I got that last part from Billy & Mandy so plz reveiw if ya liked it!**


	17. Chapter 16: Exchange

**A/N: this is gonna be short so JSYK.**

**Disclaimer: don't own Duel Masters or anything in here except Yin-Yang.**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 16: Exchange

"We need a favor. We have to stay in this Hell hole for a few days. Is that alright with you?" Yin-Yang asked coldly.

Irving smiled maliciously; his chance had just arrived on his door step.

"Alright, you can stay. On one condition though", he said smiling evilly.

Yin-Yang rolled her eyes. "What do you want?" she asked. S if she needed to. She already knew what he wanted.

"It's a simple exchange. I open my home to you all and you marry me", he said smiling and rubbing his hands together greedily.

Yin-Yang glared at him and was about to tell him that his idea was out of the question when her father stopped her.

"You've got a deal", Grim said calmly.

"Huh?" Yin-Yang asked with wide eyes.

Grim gave her a reassuring look and she stayed quiet.

"Why do we have to stay here though?" Ko asked, hating the idea.

"The vampaneze are still vampires. They can' stand the daylight. As long as we stay here, we'll be safe from them", Yin-Yang explained.

"But why here? Why couldn't we stay in a different Civilization?" Ko asked.

"It's because in Nature Civilization Land, night falls. They have learned to cope with the heat of Fire Civilization Land, and I just can't stand living in Water Civilization Land. So this is our best bet", Yin-Yang replied.

Irving stepped out of the way letting them in, smiling in triumph. He led Grim and Ko to their rooms and was forced by Yin-Yang, her father and Kokujo to let her sleep in her own and not with him. Yin-Yang, who was still in her pajamas, locked her door, walked over to the bed and got under the covers, falling easily to sleep. Kokujo stayed outside his room and watched Irving go back to his. He walked up to Yin-Yang's door and made sure it was locked before returning to his own room and going to bed. Grim sat at the dining room table keeping an eye on all the rooms.

----------------------------------Midnight----------------------------------

Yin-Yang woke with a start, breathing heavily. The dream she had did frighten her. She did become Vampaneze, she killed. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. She was in a Light Civilization bedroom and she hated it.

"I can't get back to sleep. I might as well see what dad's doing", she said getting out of the bed.

She walked down the hall and past Kokujo's open door. She stopped and looked inside.

'He's so cute when he sleeps', she thought smiling and blushing.

She walked away from his door and down to the dining room to sit alone with her father. Luckily, he was alone.

"Dad, did you really mean that?" she asked frightened.

"Hell no, but we do need to stay here. We'll just stall the marriage thing", Grim said smiling.

"Thanks dad...how long will we have to stay though?"

"At the most, I'd say a few weeks."

"I hope they leave soon...I don't want that"

"Neither do I"

Yin-Yang hugged her dad from happiness and misery.

* * *

**A/N: I wanted a kinda Father/daughter moment if u know what I mean. Plz Review!**


	18. Part II Chapter 1: Suspitions

**A/N: My almost stepbrother told me to make this a two (or however many) part story so tell me what you think...Now about Part II;I had recently finished the 6th Harry Potter book and had found spmething I thought would go alone well with the story line. For those who haven't yet read the 6th book, you needn't worry. What I shall mention I will explain. Plz R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Duel Masters or Harry Potter. (this is not a crossover!)**

Part II

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 1: Suspicions

Prince Irving walked down to the kitchen after hearing some movement from downstairs. There he found Yin-Yang sitting at the table drinking herbal tea.

"Yin-Yang, what are you doing up this late?" he asked sitting next to her.

Yin-Yang made no acknowledgement to his presence and stared down at her cup. Kokujo came down shortly after Irving, rubbing his eyes and sitting on the other side of Yin-Yang.

"Did you ever think about putting curtains up to keep out that damn sunlight! Then maybe some of us could actually get some sleep around here!" Ko yelled glaring at Irving.

Irving glared back, but Yin-yang merely offered Ko an unusually warm smile and a light laugh.

Irving glared at seeing this and stood up walking back to his room, glaring over his shoulder at the two of them.

Thoughts began racing in his mind. "There has to be **some** other reason for him staying! And, on another note, why is Yin-yang being so kind to him!'

He sat on his bed and mulled it over for a long time. Finally he came up with a strange conclusion; Yin-Yang actually has feelings for him?

'No, that can't be! Yin-Yang feels nothing!' he thought trying to drive the idea away.

"Just in case though…" he muttered sneaking back downstairs.

He found them still sitting together laughing; a very unusual thing for Yin-Yang to do.

"She does have feelings for him…" he whispered. 'But this can't be; she is to marry me! If she knew that, why would she let herself fall in love with another?'

After a little while they both stood and went to their rooms to change, seeing as it was morning.

'How can I get her to hate him like she hates me? Wait that came out wrong…' Irving thought, sitting down at the now empty table.

He sat there, trying to think of something, anything that could help him with his problem.

An idea struck and Irving smiled maliciously. He stood and snuck into Grim's room and snatched the scythe away, without waking the almost retired Reaper.

He walked outside and made a portal to Darkness Civilization Land. He ran inside and up to Yin-Yang's room. Luckily, the Vampeneze hadn't arrived yet. He looked around the dark room and soon found a book sitting on a pedestal before a black, wooden cabinet. The book's cover read;

"Potions Journal"

He smiled wickedly and opened it to the first page which read,

"In memory of my mother Seraphim. The one who understood me better than anyone on Earth and for teaching me how to create each potion in this book."

He turned the page and found a large letter "A"; meaning she had organized the whole book alphabetically. The first potion on the list was one called 'Amortentia'.

He read that it is one of the most powerful love potions in the world. He went on to find that it didn't really create love (which is impossible.) It simply causes a powerful infatuation or obsession. The Amortentia potion can strengthen longer it's kept. Yin-Yang had made herself a note that read, 'the stronger the potion, the more powerful the obsession'.

To much of his relief, Yin-Yang had made herself a note about having made and stored a small vial of it. He opened the cabinet and finally realized he didn't know which potion was which. He went back to the book and read that it had a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen and that it would smell differently to each according to what attracted them.

Since the vials were all topped with corks, he had to rely on the glimmer.

He came across one that looked like plain water, another which seemed to be a mud-like substance and even one that was the color of molten gold. Finally he found the Amortentia.

He went back to the book and read how to make it work. He'd have to stir a bit of hair from whoever was to be the object of the drinker's obsession. He took the vial and made a portal back to Light Land.

**I hope this was good! The Amortentia is what I read about in HP. Tell me what ya'll think!**


	19. Chapter 2: Amortentia, Escape

**A/N: I've been on the road for a long, long time and thought I'd write more while I have so much alone time.On a better note; I get the computer at my mom's for a week n/c my little bro and I had a bet where if he didn't eat green beans I'd get the computer at mom's for a week. I won...Anyway, plz r&r!**

**Luciado: What do you mean 'uh...ne'? Did you like it or not!**

**Disclaimer: So the lawyers will shut up; 'I don't own Duel Masters or Harry Potter!'**

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 2: Amortentia/Escape

When Irving arrived back in Light Civilization Land, he snuck the scythe back to Grim's room and then walked back downstairs. He found Yin-Yang and Kokujo sitting together again, laughing. Kokujo was wearing his trade mark black trench coat and well, black everything, while Yin-Yang was wearing her favorite Seether T-shirt andblack jeans with the words, or rather, song titles; 'Remedy' and Diseased' written down each pant leg. With the Amortentia tucked away in his cloak, he walked over and sat across from them.

"Where've you been?" Ko asked bringing Yin- been?" Ko asked bringing Yin-Yang's attention to Irving.

"Just taking care of a little something", Irving replied smiling maliciously.

He stood and walked over to Yin-Yang, running his fingers through her long raven hair. He received glares from Ko and Yin-Yang as a reward for it.

"What are you doing?" Yin-Yang snapped angrily.

"Just admiring your lovely hair my dearest", he replied smiling.

Yin-Yang looked like she was gonna gag.

"Get away from me!" she snapped angrily, standing and walking away.

Ko followed silently, glaring at the Light Civilization Prince.

Irving smiled holding up his hand and the strands of hair he was lucky enough to pull without angering her.

He walkedback up to his room, closing and locking the door behind him. He then opened the vial; it smelled heavenly. (I don't really know what scents would attract him…I guess Yin-Yang's scent would be one though…) He placed a few strands in and topped the bottle with the cork. Then he shook vigorously, hoping that it would count as stirring.

After a few minutes of 'stirring', he pocketed the potion and walked down to the kitchen, grabbing three glasses and a tray. He opened a bottle of soda and poured some into each glass. Then he took three straws, one red, one blue and one yellow, and placed one into each glass. He then took the potion and poured most of its contents into the glass with the blue straw, stirring it in with the soda. He reached into the freezer and pulled out a handful of ice and placed three in two of the glasses and four in the one with the potion and blue straw. He placed the drinks on the tray and began walking up to Yin-Yang's room.

He found them sitting on her bed talking.

"What do **you** want?" Yin-Yang snapped at him as she saw him enter.

"I merely wanted to offer you both something to drink and to apologize for what I said to you yesterday Yin-Yang", Irving replied calmly.

He handed Yin-Yang the glass with the red straw and Kokujo the glass with the blue one. At first they were a little suspicious so Irving, noticing their looks of suspicion, took out his straw dipped it into Yin-Yang's drink and took a sip to show he hadn't poisoned them.

Yin-Yang still looked suspicious but drank a little of hers anyway, as did Ko. He swallowed hard and looked thoughtfully at his glass, then shrugged and took another sip.

Irving drained his glass and made to leave.

"Well, I bid you both good day", he said calmly, walking to the door to do cheese knows what.

Yin-Yang glared after Irving, still very suspicious as to why he was being so nice to them, and set her glass down. Kokujo continued to finish off his drink, enjoying its wonderful taste and delightful scent.

Ko finished his and licked his lips smiling broadly. Thoughts began racing in Yin-Yang's mind.

'What was Irving planning?'

'Why was he being so nice?'

'Why is Kokujo looking at me like that?'

She had noticed that Ko was staring at her, looking her over from top to bottom.

"What?" she asked, snapping his attention back to her face.

He looked down at the floor, blushing a little and replied, "Nothing…sorry."

Yin-Yang shrugged and went back to her thoughts of what Irving was planning.

Thoughts were racing in Ko's mind too. He looked over her again, blushing madly at his thoughts of how hot she looked in that Seether outfit.

'What are you thinking! Remember your title; The Lone Wolf! You care about no one!' he yelled in his head.

The thoughts of her just grew worse.

'I must be tired…I just didn't get enough sleep last night is all' he told himself.

He stood and began walking to the door when Yin-Yang stood and stopped him.

"Where are you going?" she asked, worry thick in her voice.

"I need to go lie down", he said hastily. "I'm kinda tired. I just need some sleep."

"You can sleep in here ya know", she stated firmly.

He seemed to blush, if possible, even more and rushed out of the room without another word. Yin-Yang ran after him and literally ran into Prince Irving. She fell back, but he caught her before she could hit the floor.

"You really should be more careful my dear", he said helping her up.

"Whatever", she snapped back pushing past him and running up to Kokujo's locked door.

She began pounding on the door, praying he'd answer yelling, "Ko? Are you sure you're ok!"

"I'm fine! I just need to be alone!" he yelled back.

She began walking back to her room, filled with worry.

--------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------

Irving continued to walk down the hall to his bedroom thinking.

'Why isn't she sick of him yet? He should be obsessing over her like I do!' he yelled in his mind. "Wait that came out wrong again!"

He reached his room and pulled out the vial of Amortentia.

"There's not much left! I need to give him more though!" he said noticing the almost empty bottle of potion.

"Maybe her other sides can help me", he said walking out of the room.

He walked to Grim's room and knocked on the door knowing the old Reaper would be awake by now. Sure enough, a moment later, Grim opened the door holding his scythe.

"What do you want?" he asked leaning on his scythe.

"I need to take care of some business in Nature Civilization Land. May I borrow your scythe to get to and from Nature Land?" Irving lied calmly.

"I guess…but I want it back when you're done", Grim ordered handing him the scythe.

Irving walked out of his home and made another portal to the Darkness Lands. He ran up to Yin-Yang's room surprised the Vampeneze hadn't yet arrived.

"Are they ever gonna get here?" he asked himself as he opened her bedroom door.

He walked up to the portal to her mind and opened the door only to be practically trampled by her other sides.

"Oh Yin-Yang we're so glad you're-oh it's just you." Love said losing her enthusiasm once she realized who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Conscience asked adjusting her glasses, a weird habit of hers.

"Yin-Yang has finally broke down and decided to use a love potion on that boy, but she ran out of the small vial she had kept in a cabinet and has sent me to get her some more", Irving lied just as calmly as he'd done with Grim.

"Finally! Ok follow us!" Happiness exclaimed taking his hand and leading him and the others to a red door with and 'L' etched into the wood.

They knocked and a Yin-Yang Irving hadn't ever seen before opened the door. She was wearing a very short mini skirt and a tank top that was cut off just over her belly button and a beautiful red cloak hung loosely over her shoulders.

"What do you all want?" she asked in a lust filled voice that Irving would have killed to hear from the real one.

"Yin-Yang's finally decided to use a love potion on Kokujo! She had Irving come get some more after she ran out! She gave you the spare didn't she Lust?" Love asked in an excited voice.

Lust smiled. "Yeah she did. I'll be right back", she said walking to her closet, her hips swaying and making Irving sweat.

She opened the closet and pulled out a large, bottle/beaker filled with the same mother-of-pearl sheen as what was in the smaller vial. She closed the closet and walked over to Irving handing him the bottle.

"That should do it…Oh and don't forget to remind Yin-Yang not to add any more hair. She mixed that in with it when she made it", Lust said smiling.

"How long have you had this?" Irving asked.

"Yin-Yang gave that to me about a year ago for safe keeping. It should be pretty powerful by now. Oh and one more thing to tell Yin-Yang; tell her not to forget to give this to him every twenty-four hours. Otherwise it'll just where off", Lust explained closing her door to them.

Irving smiled maliciously and ran back through the portal, forgetting to close the portal door as he ran out of her home, making a portal back to Light Land with the scythe.

Yin-Yang's other sides saw the opportunity of freedom and took it running through Darkness Civilization Land.

--------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------

Irving ran up to Grim's room, knocked on the door and shoved the scythe at the old Reaper. He then ran down to the kitchen and made Kokujo another drink, pouring some of the Amortentia into it. He ran up to Ko's room and forced himself to remain calm as he knocked on the door.

Ko slowly opened the door, a little worried that it might be Yin-Yang, and was relieved to see Irving standing there.

"I heard you weren't feeling well so I brought you another drink", Irving said handing him the glass.

Ko took it and took a few sips, but then after tasting it, gulped it down, savoring the excellent flavor.

"Are you hungry for breakfast?" Irving asked smiling.

Ko looked up at him with an unfocused look in his eyes.

"Did you hear me? I said, 'breakfast'", Irving said trying to get him to respond.

"I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Alright, I'll come down with you, but I won't eat."

"You have quite a thirst though."

"It's not that, you…you wouldn't understand."

"Fair enough", Irving replied beginning to walk away, smirking.

"Irving wait!" said Ko suddenly.

"Yes?" Irving asked without turning around, knowing Kokujo was probably really pale.

"I can't stand it!"

"You can't stand what?"

"I can't stop thinking about her!" Ko said hoarsely, looking down.

Irving smiled but continued to look away.

"Why does thinking about Yin-Yang stop you from eating?"

"I don't think she knows I exist."

"Oh, she knows you exist, but why do you care?"

"I…I think I love her", Ko said in a strangled voice.

"And what is it you love about her?" Irving asked egging him on.

"Where to begin? Well her hair; so black and shiny….and her eyes; her beautiful red eyes. And-" Ko listed breathlessly.

"Alright, I understand. Well, why don't you go ask her if you're so unsure about if she knows you exist or not? She is in her room", Irving said finally turning to him.

Ko looked up at him, his eyes glazed over with what seemed to be lust and pushed past him, runningto Yin-Yang's room.

Irving chuckled lightly.

'Now she will get sick of him and she'll have no one else to love but me!" he thought smiling wickedly.

--------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------

Ko ran up to Yin-Yang's door and began knocking, trying to remain calm. No use. He couldn't be calm. He couldn't be patient as he waited for her to open the door. He had to see her. He had to be near her. He had to have her all to himself. When she finally opened the door, he practically fell inside. She offered him a warm smile and closed the door behind him as he stumbled in.

"Are you ok?" she asked half laughing.

"I'm fine…I just needed a little rest is all", he replied as she made her way back to the bed with him.

"Ok, whatever", she said sitting down and picking up her deck, looking over it.

Kokujo began looking her over again, as he sat with her, with his now lust filled eyes.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" she asked breaking into his thoughts with her angelic voice.

Ko snapped his attention back up at her face again. She was glaring at him now.

"What's gotten into you today?" she asked.

"Nothing…I'm sorry…" he said staring at her.

She still looked suspicious but went back to looking over her deck.

The truth was that he couldn't help it. He could barely take his eyes away from her body, thoughts racing through his mind about holding that very body close. He scooted closer to her and took hold of her chin pulling her eyes up to meet his again. He pulled her close and gently brushed his lips over hers. He put his other hand behind her head and deepened the kiss, his tongue begging for entrance into her mouth. She gasped at the sudden affection he was showing her and he took that chance to let his tongue explore her mouth. At first she was shocked, but before she knew it, Yin-Yang was snaking her arms around his neck and trying to deepen the kiss herself.

Finally they were forced to pull away from each other for breath, but he didn't let her go. Yin-Yang pulled away from him and stood up. She shouldn't be doing this. She was about to leave when he stood and grabbed her wrist pulling her back into his chest. She struggled against him and finally broke away and made a portal to her father's room with her dark powers. Ko stepped back from shock at this but then ran put the door and down the halls calling for her.

--------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------

Yin-Yang leaned on her father's closed door panting, her fingers to her lips. Her first kiss…as much as she liked it, she didn't want it.

"Yin-Yang what's up? You look like you've just seen a ghost…either that or Irving just kissed ya outta the blue sky", Grim commented noting her pale face.

"I haven't seen a ghost, EEEWWW! And it wasn't Irving", Yin-Yang replied glancing at the door behind her.

"Than who?"

"What other guy is in this house beside you and Irving!"

"He just didn't seem like one who like that kinda relationship with anyone", Grim replied.

"I don't know what's gotten into him, he's been acting weird all day!"

"Yin-Yang, could you come down here? This is important!" Irving's voice said from the entry way.

"You're coming with me! I need a father's protection!" Yin-Yang exclaimed tugging on her dad's cloak as he walked over to his closed door.

"Don't worry, I'm coming with ya", Grim said opening the door once she moved.

They walked downstairs to find a very anxious Kokujo and a very confused Irving. Ko got up and put his arms around Yin-Yang at first glance.

"Irving what did you want?" Yin-Yang asked blushing.

"Prince Wilber just called and said he saw you fighting with one of his creatures in Nature Land and Melvin called saying he just saw you moping around Water Land. Yin-Yang what is going on!" Irving exclaimed.

The doorbell interrupted what Yin-Yang was about to say and Ko's puppy dog act towards her. She pulled away from Kokujo and walked over to the door opening it to reveal Happiness standing before her.

"Happiness? What are you doing here?" Yin-Yang asked in disbelief.

"I came because the others wanted me to give Irving our thanks for setting us free after coming to retrieve the Amortentia for you! Oh how's that com-" Happiness began excitedly.

Before she could finish however Yin-Yang had slammed the door in her face and had turned to glare at a now very frightened Irving.

**A/N: wOw long chappy...anyway...plz review! I hope this was good!**


	20. Chapter 3: You Don’t Really Love Me

**A/N: Oh my Odin! This took me forever to write! I've been up like, all night trying to finish this and you guys probably hate it by now for some reason I don't yet know! Anyway...if you're still somewhat ineterested in this, please read and review it!**

**Disclaimer: I can't believe this wasn't up last time, but I don't Duel Masters! You gotta know that!**

* * *

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 3: You Don't Really Love Me...

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'VE BEEN SPIKING HIS DRINKS WITH THAT LOVE POTION! YOU MORON! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Yin-Yang yelled grabbing Grim's scythe and picking Irving up by the collar of his cape, holding the scythe to his neck.

Irving whimpered and said nothing.

"Yin-Yang that's not gonna help", Grim said calmly.

Suddenly the other P.L.O.O.P members and Happiness came in, fuming in anger (except Happiness of course).

"Yin-Yang, why are you trying to destroy my creatures!" Wilbur exclaimed.

"Have you swallowed or eaten any paint chips lately?"

"I know what Irving said to you yesterday was cruel, but that doesn't mean you have to go around moping like this! And why are you doing such stupid stunts! It's like you're trying to prove something!" Melvin cried.

"I do like the jokes you're coming up with though!"

"Aww! He looks so cute when he's in love!" Happiness exclaimed.

"And will you please stop bragging about how deeply in love you are with him...or how sexy he is?" Prince Wilbur added.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY WILBUR? Oh Lust!" Yin-Yang yelled, blushing from the last comment. "Irving you will pay for this!"

"Why didn't you ever say anything about **that** Yin-Yang?" Ko asked smiling at the thought of how she thought of him.

"Say anything about what?"

"Wilber said you think I'm se-"

"SHUT UP!" she yelled trying to drown them all out.

"Look, those are my other sides! Irving set them free when he went into my room to steal the most powerful love potion in the world to use on Kokujo! Did I clear a few things up?" she said letting go of Irving and turning to them to be rewarded with another embrace from Ko.

"So let me get this straight; he's been given a love potion and now he's in love with you. Wouldn't that be what you might want if you really do love him?" Pollyanna asked.

"Well...yeah...I want him to love me back...but not like this...this isn't a real love. He's under a spell...he doesn't really love me", Yin-Yang replied quietly. "But that's not important! What's important is that I kill Irving and bring back my other sides!"

"I second that! Except the part about killing Irving..." Melvin said.

"Ok...um...I think I might have something in my room I can use to round them up, I'll be right back", she said walking up the stairs, but stopping. "Ko I know you're just dying to follow, so come on", she continued sighing.

Ko stared after her sadly but he did want to follow and did as she said. She kept staring down as she walked back to her room.

'She looks so sad. Did I do something that may have hurt her? I don't want her to be like this...' Ko thought as she walked in and over to her bag on the floor. "Are you ok?"

She looked up at him, but turned back to her bag.

"I'm fine, don't worry", she said pulling out a skull.

She said an incantation in some lost language and the skull turned red, then blue, and then black. She then stood and began walking back out of the room.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked worried.

"I'm fine...there's...there's nothing wrong...come on."

He followed her out of the room and back to the others.

"Ok...here's the plan; Kokujo, Irving, and I are going through each civilization to collect my other sides. I'll send them into this skull and they'll be transported into their locked rooms in my mind. For example;" she explained turning to Happiness and speaking a chant in the strange dialect.

Soon, the skull's mouth opened and Happiness was sucked into the it and transported back home again.

"Why do I have to go?" Irving whined.

"Because you set my other sides free, because you drugged Kokujo with Amortentia, and because I will pummel you if you don't!" Yin-Yang yelled.

"Why else?" he whimpered.

"NOW IRVING!" she yelled rounding on him.

He huddled into a small ball and decided to accept.

"Dad I'm gonna need to borrow your scythe", she said turning back to Grim.

He handed her the scythe and she turned back to Kokujo.

"Ko, I need you to hold onto this for me, ok?" she asked sweetly.

He smiled and nodded dreamily. She smiled and began walking to the door, Kokujo following close behind.

"Come on Irving", she said not bothering to turn around.

Irving followed, fearing that she'd really hurt him if he didn't. She pulled out a clipboard with all of her other side's names written down with check boxes next to the names.

"Alright, let's break this down. Melvin said something about moping, so that means Timid's there in Water land, and also probably Sadness. He said something about trying to prove something...so it could be Envy and Jealousy, they're always trying to prove whose better. Oh, and they are different, trust me...I can't go into much detail though...because I get lost about it", Yin-Yang explained. "Let me see, Wilbur said that one was trying to destroy creatures, which is obviously Courage and Love and Lust are obviously there too. We got Happiness so we won't have to worry about her...umm...I'd have to guess that Stupidity and Comic are in Fire Land, judging by how Fire boy was freaking out about paint chips. God I wanna kill that side of me! Umm...let's see...I have no idea about the others, but the only ones I haven't established yet are Angst, Dark/Demon, Anger, and Intelligence. No idea where they might be."

"Well we better start looking. How will we find them?" Irving asked.

"The skull I have will start glowing blue when we're near one", Yin-Yang explained.

They walked through Light Land for what seemed like hours and Yin-Yang couldn't stand the fact that the sun had been bearing down on her for so long. She rubbed her eyes and she felt a little faint. Usually she'd be able to sustain consciousness in the sun, but not this long. And the fact that she hated the sun didn't help. Ko walked up to her and held her close, not wanting her to fall to the ground from this. She leaned against him and closed her eyes.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly.

"No..." she said faintly, collapsing on him.

He held her close and stopped, leaning down and holding her up. He gently picked her up bridal as he kneeled down and held her to his chest. She had dropped the skull when she fell and Irving picked it up; it was glowing blue...which meant one of her other sides had to be near. Sure enough one stepped up to them wearing a yellow cloak with round glasses.

"I knew she wouldn't last long out here", she said kneeling down. "Hi there, I'm Yin-Yang's intelligence."

"You have to go back Intelligence. I can't have you guys wandering around out here", Yin-Yang said in a hoarse voice.

"Aww...I don't wanna go back! It's so dark there!"

"All you'd have to do is imagine it is lighter, remember? That's how I made your room's work", Yin-Yang explained leaning on Kokujo for support as she stood and took the skull from Irving.

"Oh yeah! You added to my smartness Yin-Yang! I totally forgot about that!" she continued, rambling on as Yin-Yang whispered the incantation and having her get sucked up into its mouth.

She fell to the ground after that and told Irving to do a scan of the civilization as she rested. Ko held her close and sat with her. She cuddled closer to him lovingly making him smile happily. Irving came back to them a moment later and told her there weren't anymore. They stood and she led them to where they were to go through to Water land.

She made a portal and they walked through. She looked around and cursed Light land for making her so weak.

"Ok...I need to rest. Irving, you go out and try to find Timid or Sadness. Timid is of course wearing a grey cape, and Sadness is wearing a light blue one", she said handing Irving the skull and sitting down, Indian-style.

"Why can't he do it!" Irving whined.

"Because this is your punishment not his", Yin-Yang replied glaring up at him as Kokujo sat down with her.

Irving moaned and walked away. Yin-Yang leaned herself back to lay down when Ko stopped her and held her to him.

"What are you doing?" she asked blushing slightly.

"I don't want you to rest on the ground...I know you may not wanna hear it, but I'd rather have you lay on me", Ko replied looking away.

Yin-Yang blushed and smiled up at him, but it soon faded. What he felt for her now wasn't real. She really hated what Irving had done. Now that this happened, she saw how much he couldn't love her. She rested her head on his warm chest, fighting back her tears.

"Tell me what's wrong", he said, sadness evident in his voice.

"Nothing is wrong, please believe me", Yin-Yang replied looking up into his sad eyes.

Ko said nothing and just stared back with his sad eyes. Yin-Yang looked back down, not noticing that Irving was walking up to them with Sadness and Timid.

"Hi Yin-Yang", Sadness said. Her voice sounded faint, yet it came in clearer then Timid's as she spoke next.

"How's the potion working?" Timid asked in a far off voice.

"Why do you sound so distant?" Yin-Yang asked standing.

She studied Timid for a moment and noticed she was fading away, while Sadness was becoming more clear and easier to see. That's when Yin-Yang remember what happened when her other sides were out. If she was feeling a certain emotion very strongly, than that emotion would become the easier to see while the others begin to fade away. That explained why Sadness was becoming so easy to see; Yin-Yang was feeling immense sadness about this whole ordeal. She felt sadness in the fact that she now had to go off and find each of her other sides because of Irving's mistake, and very much sadness for the fact that Kokujo was showing her he didn't love her while he was under that spell.

"Never mind. Just take us to Envy and Jealousy", she continued.

"They're off that way. They're trying to decide who is worthy to stay out of your mind", Sadness replied pointing off to the right.

"Thank you. I suppose you both know what is to come?" Yin-Yang asked holding up the skull.

They nodded and bowed their heads. Truthfully, they wanted to go back. They found their home in her mind to be much more enjoyable, believe it or not. Yin-Yang said the incantation and they too were sucked into the small portal. Yin-Yang put the skull away and turned back to them.

"Come on, let's go", she said turning back and walking.

They followed and remained silent. Ko was so worried about her. She looked so miserable whenever he touched her. He really wanted to know what was wrong. Irving however, wanted to just get all this over with. She led them on until they came upon to of her sides, wearing green robes, one slightly darker than the other, fighting and screaming their heads off.

"I BELONG HERE!" the one on the right yelled.

"NO I BELONG HERE!" the other yelled back.

"GUYS!" Yin-Yang interrupted angrily.

They both turned to her and smirked.

"Yin-Yang'll decide for us!" one yelled.

"Yin-Yang'll decide what for you?" Yin-Yang asked, irritated.

"Tell **Envy**, that I'm the one whose gonna stay outta your mind!" one exclaimed pointing to the other.

"Jealousy! I'm the one who's gonna stay!" Envy yelled back.

"Actually you're both wrong", Yin-Yang said.

"Huh?" they said in unison.

"You're both going back, there's no arguing about that", Yin-Yang replied.

They stood there for a minute before Envy spoke again.

"Well...I agree with Yin-Yang more!" she said stepping forward.

"No I do!" Jealousy yelled.

Yin-Yang rolled her eyes and pulled out the skull. She said the incantation, sucking them back into her mind.

"Ok...six down, nine to go...this'll take forever" she said. "Ok...here's the plan, it's going to be getting dark soon, so we'll try and capture one more of my other sides in Nature land and make camp there. Is that fair?"

"Whatever let's just go!" Irving said angrily, walking away.

Yin-Yang sighed and followed him, Kokujo close behind her. They came to the spot where she'd create the portal and she took the scythe from Kokujo and ripped a hole into the Nature land and walked through. She waited for the others before closing it and they moved on. They heard loud yelling and the clanging of swords. As they drew nearer they found Courage fighting the Bronze Arm Tribe.

"Come on! Is that all you got!" she yelled as one fell to the floor.

"Courage", Yin-Yang said bringing attention o herself.

"Huh? Oh hey Yin-Yang. Just puttin' the hurt on these stupid creatures. Hope ya don't mind", Courage said in a tomboyish voice.

"Courage you have to return to my mind", Yin-Yang replied.

"Aww come on! I was having fun killing these creatures!" Courage whined.

"Too bad", Yin-Yang replied holding up the skull.

Courage gasped and began running. Hey even she knew when to be afraid. Yin-Yang sighed and quickly said the incantation, pulling Courage back and into the skull. Yin-Yang looked up at the sky and was happy to see it getting darker.

"Come on, time to make camp", she said walking a little ways away from the large clearing into a smaller one. She turned to Irving and Kokujo. "Ok, you two go get fire wood and I'll create some futons."

"How will you do that?" Ko asked.

"I'll just use my dark powers. I use that to make a lot of the stuff I use", she replied turning away from them.

They walked away and began collecting fire wood. She knelt down and began summoning her dark magic to create three futons; **Not easy!** She collapsed on the ground and breathed heavily. She hated using her power like that! Why hadn't they thought to bring stuff like that? Why wasn't she thinking about other stuff besides killing Irving!

She heard twigs rustling and turned to find them walking up to her holding to big bundles of wood. She stood wearily and walked over to them motioning for them to set them to the side.

"Thanks, that'll be enough", she said, smiling at the piles of wood.

"Did you just thank us for something!" Irving exclaimed.

"Yeah...why?" she asked.

"You've never thanked me for anything in your life!" he yelled in surprise.

"Whatever", she said, pulling a canteen out of nowhere. "Now you can get more thanks by going off to get us some water."

He took the canteen and began walking away. Ko was about to follow him when he was stopped by Yin-Yang.

"Stay, help me with the fire", she said calmly.

He turned back to her and smiled, thinking.

'She looks like she's hurting so much! How could she still smile like that? Is she just trying to make me think she's ok? If that's all it is, she's really strong to do this. She must be so miserable doing this, and yet she's still smiling', he thought kneeling next to her and helping her build a fire.  
They sat back when they were finished and she stood turning to him. She held out her hand helped him up.

"I need to talk to you now", she said leading him away from their campsite as Irving returned.

"We'll be right back Irving", she said without looking back.

She led Kokujo back to the larger clearing and turned to him.

"What's wrong? Please tell me this time", he said.

She sighed and stood a good distance away from him.

"I just hate what Irving's done...he's made me understand that I was right that no one could really love me like I thought you might. He put you under the impression of Amortentia and it's made me understand that you need a potion to love me", she said shakily.  
"What do you mean?" he asked.

"If you weren't under the spell you wouldn't love me. You only cared for me when I needed it. You never loved me..."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because it's true. You only took pity on me when Irving said those horrible things didn't you?"

"No", he argued walking up to her.

He embraced her and buried his face in her hair.

"Why won't you believe me when I say I love you?" he asked.

She looked away, but did not return his embrace. She couldn't...  
He kissed her cheek and held her firm against him.

"I don't believe you because I know it's just the Amortentia talking to me, not you. I **do** love you Kokujo, but I can't believe you when you say you love me too", she said solemnly.

He tightened his grip around her and nuzzled his head against hers. She said nothing and continued to stare away.

"Listen, I'll make you a deal. The Amortentia potion **should** wear off by tomorrow morning, if you don't love me after it wears off I'm going to take you back to the mortal realm. I can't force you to stay with me for pity and keep you away from anything else that's important to you in your life", she said letting tears finally fall.  
His eyes widened and he stared off in the other direction as she cried lightly on his shoulder. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave. She sighed and tried to pull away from him and he let her. She looked up at him sadly and saw that he was crying slightly too. He didn't want to leave her with Irving! If he did she'd face a life of misery! But what if she was right? What if, when this potion wore off, he wouldn't love her? He couldn't bear to think of that. He'd miss the warmth of her body when he held her. He had been alone too. When (and if) he's forced to leave, they'll both be alone again.  
"Kokujo...you don't understand how much you've meant to me..." she said sadly, breaking into his thoughts.

He looked up at her and found tears staining her cheeks.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Besides my mom you're the only one I've been able to really talk to and feel safe around", she said. "I truly don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me for as long as possible...but if you really don't love me you can't...I'm not gonna force you to stay, but I'm not gonna let you stay if you don't love me just so you can pity me everyday. I don't want that."

"Alright..." he said staring down.

She looked up at him and felt horrible for all of this. She walked up to him and rested her hands on his chest, staring up at him. She pulled herself up to meet his lips and gave him a sweet kiss, trying to rid him of some of his pain.  
He wrapped his arms around and kissed her back, thinking about how much he'd miss this if he had to leave. She pulled away from him and stared up into his eyes. All she saw was hurt, hurt she'd put there and held him. She hated this so much. Her heart ached from this entire pain Irving had caused. He'd caused all of this, the fake love Ko felt, the heartache they were both now experiencing, everything was his fault. She loved Ko with everything in her, when he left what was left inside of her would die. She held him for what seemed like forever to them she finally felt him hold her hands and speak.

"Come on, he's gotta be wondering where we are by now."

He led her back and they both felt the hurt settle in.

--------------**Later that night**-------------------

Yin-Yang lay on her futon, wanting to maybe die in her sleep. She could hardly take the pain she felt. She loved him...and now he was gonna leave if he didn't love her in the morning...She looked over at him to find him sitting against a tree staring up and thinking. She sat up and watched him, knowing the pain was still setting in him too.  
She said nothing and saw that Irving was fast asleep and stood. She grabbed her and Ko's futon and handed his too him. He looked up at her and took it. She set hers up next to him and sat down again. He looked so god damn sad, like the very essence of happiness he may or may not have had was sucked up into that skull with her Happiness.  
She moved up to his face and gently kissed his warm cheek and felt wet tears beneath her lips. She gazed at him through sad eyes.

"You must be tired. Go ahead and sleep", he said emotionlessly.

Tears began forming in her eyes, but she stood and dragged her futon a little ways away from him.

As she lay her head down, ready to pretty much cry herself to sleep, she heard him say almost too quiet for her to hear, "I hope I can love you in the morning."

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**(A/N: ok...when I wrote this I had been listening to my Green Day CD and had heard the songs 'Give Me Novacaine' and 'Extraordinary Girl'. When I wrote this I wanted to put the lyrics in...but decided against it...now only my step-bro J.D. can read it with the lyrics...cuz I know he won't shut up if I don't let him! I'm also gonna try and get Seether and Amy Lee's lyrics to their song Broken in the next chappie...trust me...it would work! Anyway, I know the ending might suck a little...but I wanted to have something sad...and there it is! Anyway...if you guys want to read the story with the lyrics put your e-mail address in your review or just give me a plain old signed review so I can send it to you, cuz I don't think I should post the lyric filled version on the site, in case anyone might threaten it off...so there it was! Please review!**


	21. Chapter 4: Vampire Don't Hurt Him

**A/N: Ok...here's chapter 4 of Part II. Why isn't anyone reviewing? Plz at least tell me what you guys think! I need reviews! It makes me feel loved...u guys aren't making me feel loved...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Duel Masters...you guys know that by now!**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 4: Vampire...Don't Hurt Him...

Ko sat there, thinking. He hated this so much. He didn't want to see hurt whenever she looked at him. He watched the slow rising and falling of her chest, noticing that she was asleep and stood. He had to take a walk. He was already feeling the potion wearing off slightly and wanted to clear his head.

As he walked away from camp, Irving sat up and stood, following Kokujo. He followed him to another clearing (Nature Land's really confusing huh?) and saw him lean against a tree, trying to think, it seemed.

"What can I do? I can feel this potion wearing off...and I don't feel like I did last night...I don't wanna leave though..." Ko whispered leaning against the thick tree trunk.

"Leave? Yin-Yang's going to have him leave for this?" Irving whispered for only him to hear. He then chuckled to himself. "Well, this plan didn't work exactly as I'd thought...it worked out better! But I think I should do more to make her hate him...I have another ingenious little idea."

He stepped out from his hiding place, and cleared his thought.

"Ahem...I think I can help you", he said rubbing his hands together mischievously.

"Why would I want your help?" Ko snapped angrily.

"I can give you more of the Amortentia potion."

"That just made her miserable! Why would I wanna take more of it?"

"What Yin-Yang doesn't know...won't hurt her" Irving replied holding out the beaker/bottle of Amortentia.

"You really think that'll work?" Ko asked, seriously thinking of taking his advice.

"Well think about it; you take this potion, she thinks you love her for real and she's happy. You do want her happy don't you?"

"Well...yeah...but-"

"Than take it!" Irving urged shoving the bottle at Kokujo.

"How much would I have to take?"

"Only a little, I'll give you more every twenty-four hours. What do you say?" Irving explained handing him the bottle.

Ko took it and put the opening to his lips. He took a small sip and swallowed. Irving took the bottle back from him. Kokujo rubbed his eyes and looked back toward the campsite. He smiled and began walking back.

Irving tucked the Amortentia back into his cloak, smiling wickedly.

'After we arrive in the mortal realm, I'll break the news of how he tried to trick her...and then she'll be all mine!' he thought smiling.

He followed Kokujo back to camp, still smiling menacingly.

"Wake up Yin-Yang", Ko said sweetly, his hand on her shoulder, shaking her slightly.

She groaned and sat up looking up at him sadly.

"What's wrong?" Ko asked looking kind of worried.

"The potion's worn off hasn't it?" she asked sadly.

He smiled.

"Yeah...but I think you'll like what the result is."

She stared up at him for a moment and smiled happily.

"You mean...?" she asked smiling and closing her eyes happily.

"Mm hmm", he said smiling back.

She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck. She nuzzled her head in his chest and smiled up at him. He smiled back, glad that she was happy too.

"I love you so much", she whispered happily, laying her head back on his chest.

"I love you too..." he whispered back.

She smiled up at him happily and cuddled closer to him, kissing his cheeks and neck, loving him so much. Irving glared at this affection, but said nothing.

She let go of him and stood.

"I'm gonna go get some water for the rest of our trip. You guys pack up", she said smiling at Kokujo.

Ko stood as well as she walked away. He began packing up the futons with Irving and when they were done they simply waited for her to return.

As Yin-Yang walked off she looked back to make sure she was out of their sight and put a hand over her mouth as her lip quivered and her eyes began to tear up. She knew all the symptoms of Amortentia, he tried to trick her. She fell to her knees on the forest floor and began crying to herself.

'How could I let this happen? Why didn't I lock that potion away where it couldn't be found? Why did he stay? Why did he have to come with Shobu! I hate this! My life is ruined and I'm going to be miserable forever!' she thought crying.

"Once I run out of potion and the last bit wears off...he might not even know why he's with me...he'll have no recollection of anything...I shouldn't let that happen...I'll let him know when we get to the mortal realm...then he go home and everything will go back to normal", she whispered drying her tears.

She stood and walked to the river and dipped the canteen into it, bringing out fresh, clear water. She then walked back to the campsite and up to the two guys.

"Let's get going", she said smiling, trying to keep them unsuspicious.

Ko walked up to her and wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked. She held the skull this time and smirked when it began to glow blue.

"I just have to hope and pray it isn't Lust", she said sighing.

"Ohh...Lust", Irving said dreamily, receiving a glare from Yin-Yang.

There was Good news and Bad news. The good news was that it was Love...the bad news was, Lust was with her.

"Hey, Yin-Yang!" Love exclaimed.

"Hey, Love...Lust", she muttered miserably.

"You don't seem very happy to see me", Lust replied.

"You gave Irving my last bit of stock of Amortentia! What did you expect me to say to you?" Yin-Yang yelled in anger.

"I thought you'd be happy...I saved you from being forced to marry Irving. Now you can marry the one you love", Lust responded.

"Forget it! I can't have you out like this! You're going back!" Yin-Yang exclaimed holding up the skull and saying the incantation.

Lust jumped out of the way and Love was the victim in this.

"Sorry Yin-Yang, but Conscience is waiting for me in the mortal realm. I don't wanna keep her waiting too long" she said running away and through a portal she had made herself.

Yin-Yang tried running after her when the portal closed. She glared after her other side and punched a tree in anger. She turned back to the guys.

"Irving you know what to do. Make a scan of the Civilization", she ordered. "And if you ask why I'll kill you here. I'm very skilled with me father's scythe."

Irving decided to listen and took the skull walking away. She sat against a tree and closed her eyes. She felt Kokujo sit next to her and pull her to him, laying his head on hers. She smiled and nuzzled her head. She'd really miss this. Irving came back a moment later and they were forced to stand and pull away from each other.

"Anything?" she asked.

"No...There's no more", he replied handing her the skull.

"Alright...let's go", she said taking the scythe and walking up to one of the trees. She made a portal to Fire Land and turned back the boys.

"This might get hot", she said stepping through the portal, the boys following.

They felt the wall of heat collide with them and they gasped slightly at the immense change in the temperature. Ko took off his cloak and Irving took away his cape. Yin-Yang however was suffering greatly. She couldn't relieve herself of any clothes without revealing anything to them. They walked through the civilization, staying far away from each other so as not to share body heat. They came upon one of her other sides, holding her hand out and letting the flames burn her hand.

"Not that one", Yin-Yang uttered walking up to it.

She said the incantation so as not to let them meet this side of her and Stupidity was then sucked up into the skull.

"Which one was that?" Irving asked.

"You don't wanna know", Yin-Yang replied shaking her head.

Almost immediately after they came upon a Yin-Yang in a multi-colored cloak making jokes and laughing her head off.

Yin-Yang did the same as with Stupidity and sucked Comic Relief into the skull so they wouldn't meet her.

"You don't wanna know that one either...trust me on this", she said sighing. "Are there anymore?"

"No..." Irving replied after he checked the skull as she gave it too him.

"Alright...on to my Darkness Lands", she made a portal and they stepped through entering the Darkness Civilization Lands.

She spread her arms out and breathed in the stale air of her civilization.

"It's so good to be home", she said happily.

They walked through the civilization and soon they found one of her sides in a black cloak sitting with her back against a dead tree.

"Hey Yin-Yang", she said in a dark and tormented voice.

"Hey Angst, good to see you", Yin-Yang replied.

"I suppose you've come to send me back haven't you?" she asked blankly.

"Yeah...do you mind?" Yin-Yang asked holding up the skull.

"It's fine...I have no real purpose here...someday, we'll all just be dust in the wind...just like mom", Angst said standing.

"Please don't bring that up", Yin-Yang whispered before saying the incantation and sending Angst home.

"Why didn't you just take her home by walking?" Ko asked.

"I saw no reason. I'm not going back to my home...I'm just collecting my other sides", she replied walking on.

They then came upon Anger, who was wearing a blood-red cloak.

"Hey...Why's Irving here! He wanna set us free again and ruin our lives!" she exclaimed.

"I take it you wanna go back..." Yin-Yang said simply.

"Sure why not? I have nothing else to do here", she said before she was sucked into the skull.

"Hey Yin-Yang!" one in a deep blue cloak said behind them in a deep and evil voice.

"Darkness", she sighed. "You were always the one to scare me", she said.

"I wanna go home...I don't like it out here. I would've walked back but I saw you here and decided to take a short-cut", she said smiling wickedly.

"Alright", Yin-Yang said sucking her up into the skull.

They were about to walk to the portal for the mortal realm when Yin-Yang stopped dead.

"Yin-Yang what's wrong?" Ko asked in a worried voice.

"I forgot one!" she whispered in a frightened voice.

They turned around when a Yin-Yang in a blood-red and black cloak, holding Kokujo and keeping her claws at his neck, ready to make slices in his skin if they tried anything or if she got even more hungry then she already was.

"This is my vampire side", Yin-Yang said standing before them.

"I want his blood", the vampire whispered licking his ear and making a small cut in his neck and kissing it away.

"No", Yin-Yang commanded sternly.

"Why should I listen to you when I already have him?" Vampire asked smirking and licking away some more of his blood.

He winced at the slight pain, but otherwise remained still so as not to get into more trouble with the vampire that was holding him hostage.

She licked her lips and made a small cut on his cheek, kissing and licking away at the blood.

He closed his eyes as he felt her place her index finger to the jugular vain in his neck and waited for the searing pain. Yin-Yang ran at the two and knocked Vampire away from Kokujo and wrapped her arms around him. Vampire hissed and bared her fangs. She wanted Ko's blood more than anything.

Yin-Yang took the skull and said the incantation as quickly as she could to keep Ko safe. The vampire shielded herself from the slight light and screamed as she was taken back to her home.

"Are you ok?" Yin-Yang asked hugging Kokujo to her and crying into his chest.

"Don't worry...I'm fine", he reassured as she cleaned away the access blood from his neck and cheek.

"I'm just so glad she wasn't able to hurt you like I did", Yin-Yang said sadly, holding him.

They walked to the portal to the mortal realm she made and through it. They found themselves on a sidewalk. (Yin-Yang could make a portal to the mortal realm anywhere she wished). She checked her skull and followed its pulsations. It would only do that here because there was more space. She followed it until they found both Conscience and Lust. They hid behind a bush and she said the incantation. Sadly, she only got Lust this time.

"Yin-Yang, what the Hell?" Conscience exclaimed.

"You can't stay here Conscience!" Yin-Yang yelled in anger.

"Are you gonna say that about him too?" Conscience replied, pointing to Kokujo.

"This does not concern him!" Yin-Yang yelled.

"Of course it doesn't...Yin-Yang...you are not sending me back there! I have plans for this place and I'm gonna whatever I can to-" Conscience continued. She just went on rambling as Yin-Yang pulled out the skull. She said the incantation and Conscience was sucked into the skull screaming.

"I hate it when she rambles on like that", Yin-Yang said, looking up to the sky. "It's getting dark...we need a place to stay before we head back to the Light Lands to get my stuff", Yin-Yang said. (She could make a portal anywhere, but she had to be in the same vicinity as the other civilizations)

"You can stay with me", Ko said.

"Really? You'd let us?" she asked smiling.

"Of course", Ko replied smiling back.

"Yin-Yang I have something to tell you", Irving said smiling maliciously.

"Not now Irving! Ko take us to your home!" she replied happily.

Kokujo led them to his fairly nice house. It wasn't anywhere near as big or nice as Yin-Yang's but it was nice. He led them inside and up the stairs.

"There's one problem though", he said stopping before one of the doors.

"What's wrong?" Yin-Yang asked.

"I only have one spare bedroom with only one bed", he replied.

Irving's eyes lit up at this, but instead of flying off the handle, Yin-Yang remained calm.

"I'll sleep with you", she said to Ko.

Both boys stared at her with wide eyes.

"What? There's nothing wrong with that. All we're gonna do is sleep", she said, confused.

"Uhh...ok..." Ko replied blushing.

She rolled her eyes.

Ko opened the door and told Irving he'd sleep in the bedroom he was in front of. After Irving had told them he'd just turn in, Ko led Yin-Yang to his room. She smiled when she saw his room. It was almost as dark as hers and she loved it. She walked over to his bed and sat down, loving the feel of his bed's silk-like comforter.

"Do you mind if I get a shower?" she asked looking up at him.

"No, of course not. Follow me", he replied.

He led her down the hall to his bathroom and led her inside. She closed the door and undressed getting into the shower and turning the water on. Ko walked back to his room and pulled out on of his black shirts and a pair of black lounge pants she could use tonight. He walked back to the bathroom and opened the door slightly, placing the clothes on the counter, taking her old clothes out, and closing the door again. He blushed slightly from the heat and steam of the shower's hot water and walked to his laundry room, placing her clothes in the washer. He walked back to his room and changed into his black pjs, and lying back in his warm bed. He smiled and closed his eyes falling asleep quickly, not knowing the shower water had just stopped.

Yin-Yang stepped out of the shower and found her clothes gone and new clothes in their place. She tried them on and found them perfect. They were nice and baggy and didn't show off much of her figure. She walked out of the bathroom after she was fully clothed and went to Kokujo's room. She opened his door slowly and found him sleeping. She smiled and giggled at the site.

'He's so cute when he's asleep...' she thought smiling at his sleeping figure.

She slowly walked over to him and lay next to him, cuddling close to his warm body. She smiled and nuzzled her head on his sexy chest.

He smiled in his sleep and she leaned up close to his ear and whispered, smiling, "I love you."

She then kissed his cheek and lay back down, her head on his chest, and closed her eyes, slowly falling to sleep.

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**A/N: There it is! I hope you liked it...if you did tell me in a review! Ir ya didn't...tell me in a review anyway...PLEASE!**


	22. Chapter 5: You Can't Come With Me

**A/N: I tried to make this one kinda sad...so actually review me plz...I'm getting tired of saying this!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Duel Masters (Gettting tired of saying this too!)**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 5: You Can't Come With Me

Kokujo awoke to find Yin-Yang nestled in his arms and smiled, holding her closer. He looked over at his clock which read 5:30 A.M. He then kissed her cheek, still smiling and gently (though very reluctantly) let her go and got up. He snuck out of his room and walked to Irving's. He gently knocked and when he heard no answer he opened the door to find Irving asleep, snoring a tad too loudly. He walked up to the annoyingly dim prince and kicked him off the bed.

"Wake up!" he whispered angrily.

"What do you want?" he whispered back.

"Gimme more of that potion before I kill you...and I **do** have my ways". Ko replied crossing his arms.

"Fine", Irving said reaching into his cape on the floor and handing him the potion. "Here, happy now?"

"Yeah...thanks", Ko replied taking a quick swig from the glass and walking to his laundry room.

He reached into the washer and pulled out her wet clothes and put them in the dryer. Then he walked back to his room. He lay back down and gently pulled Yin-Yang back to him. She immediately cuddled up to him, seeking his missed warmth. He closed his eyes and smiled as she did so and fell back to sleep.

---------------------------------------------A few hours later------------------------------------------

Yin-Yang opened her eyes slowly, loving the warmth under her and looked up into Ko's sleeping face.

'How can anyone be so adorable when they sleep?' she thought smiling up at him.

Though, soon the smile faded and her eyes became glazed over with sadness.

'I can't let him come back with us. He's already proven he doesn't **really** love me, why should I let him come with me if he'll never feel like that for me? I love him so much...but if I run out of potion...he'll forget what happened, how he arrived in my room, lying next to me...I have to leave him here', she thought sadly, laying her head back down on his warm chest, wishing she could always lay with him like this.

Tears began forming in her eyes at the thought of him staying here and not being with her and she let them fall to his chest. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at her to find her crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked sitting up slightly and using his elbows for support.

"You can't come back with me and Irving", she whispered sadly.

"Why not!" he nearly yelled.

"Because you're under the impression of Amortentia", she replied sitting up as well and getting up close to his face.

"W-why would you think that?" he stuttered, not only because she'd figured out his plan, but because she was so close to him.

"My mother and I used to practice making that potion. I know every symptom, and you've been showing me them all."

"I'm sorry...I just didn't want to let you stay with Irving. I had to live with him quite a while before that meeting..." he paused at this, hating to bring up such a painful memory for her. "But that doesn't matter. I wanna stay with you."

"Is that you or the Amortentia talking to me?" she asked.

"It's me...I promise."

"I can't believe what you say."

He looked away, and let himself lay back, looking away from her. She sighed. She felt so horrible about all of this. She knelt down to meet his lips and gave him a sweet kiss. When she pulled away, he saw the tears threatening to fall from his amazing red eyes. She embraced him lovingly and kissed his cheeks, trying to dry his tears before they fell. She thought for a moment then finally spoke.

"Ko I'll make you a deal", she whispered in a hoarse voice.

"What?"

"Irving and I are gonna head out as soon as I get my clothes back. I'll give this potion a day to wear off. Tomorrow, I'll give you till about eight thirty to come back to me if you really love me", she explained.

"And what if I'm late...like if there's a delay at the train station?" he asked worriedly.

"Then I'll extend it to the Saturday, but that's as late as I'll go Kokujo", she replied kissing him.

"I do love you though...don't forget that", she whispered lying down against his warm body.

"Yin-Yang, why can't you just stay with me? You don't **have** to go back to the Darkness Lands do you? You could stay here with me", he commented sadly.

"Ko...I can't leave the Darkness Lands. I need to back. It's been my home ever since I was born. I can't just leave just like that! My creatures need me more", she said sitting up again, her hands on either side of him.

"No, I need you more. No one even cares about me here. You're the only person who's ever actually loved me or cared about me", he said sitting up as well.

"What about your parents?"

"They don't care about me...in fact, I'm pretty sure they just plain hate me. That's why they're never home when I am. I rarely see them anymore because they wanna be so far away from me", he replied staring down.

"I didn't know that...I'm sorry..." she whispered embracing him.

He returned her embrace and kissed her cheek.

"Please don't leave me..." he whispered sadly.

"I have to...I have to watch over my creatures...I'm sorry", she whispered back.

He looked away and let her go.

"Than go...leave me alone again..." he growled in anger, pushing her away.

She got off his bed, but didn't leave.

"I thought you wanted to leave..." he growled again.

"I don't..." she uttered, crying.

"Than let me come with you..."

"I'm not gonna take you prisoner."

."Why would you think I would be your prisoner?"

"Because once this wears off...and if you don't really love me, you'd stay against your will. You'd be like a prisoner", she explained crying.

"Fine...then leave me alone", he said turning away from her.

"I'm going to go get my clothes and change...and then I'd like to come back and maybe hang out with you and maybe just, you know...talk?" she asked nervously.

"Alright..." he replied emotionlessly.

She stared at him a moment, but turned around and found her way to his laundry room and got out her Seether outfit and then walked back to the bathroom. She quickly changed and brought her spare clothes back to Kokujo. She sat down next to him and kissed his cheek, trying to get him to smile.

"Oh...hey", he said putting a hand to his cheek where she'd kissed him.

"I said I was sorry...can't you forgive me till tomorrow?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He said nothing and just stared down.

"Please say something..."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Well...tell me about yourself. I don't know that much about you...only that you're a Darkness duelist and your name", she said holding him.

"There's nothing important you need to know about me", he replied staring down.

They remained silent as she held him. She cried on his shoulder, hating to leave him here. They heard a knock at the door and Irving walked in. He was about to walk out again to avoid looking at the betraying sight before him, but told her they were ready to go, and then left.

"I'll be right there", she called as he closed the door.

She stood and turned to Ko.

"I love you...I hope you **do** come back when this potion wears off", she said hoarsely, walking to the door.

"Can you do one thing for me before you go?" he finally asked before she reached the door.

"Of course...what is it?" she asked walking back over to him and sitting down.

"In case this wears off, and I can't see you again...could you kiss me one last time?" he asked shyly.

She smiled and was about to kiss his cheek again when he stopped her.

"I meant a real kiss..." he uttered, blushing slightly.

She blushed too but her smile broadened and she turned him around a little so he was facing her and kissed him sweetly. He wrapped an arm around her waste and put a hand behind her head, pulling her against him and hating her departure. She gently pulled away staring at him sadly and stood walking to the door. He looked away as she left and buried his face in his hands, his elbows supporting him on his knees.

She stared down as she walked out with her father's scythe.

"Where's whatsisname?" Irving asked, hating anyone who tried to steal Yin-Yang from him.

"He's not coming", she replied, her heart breaking even more than usual.

"Really?" Irving exclaimed happily.

"Yeah...come on...I wanna get back to the Darkness Lands where I can die in ace", she uttered in anger as she found the right place to make a portal to Light Land.

She walked through the portal and ended up right in front of her dad.

"Hey dad", she sighed.

After Irving came out of the portal, it closed and it made Grim wonder a little.

"Hey Yin-Yang where's that other kid...Ko was it?" he asked confused.

"He didn't come back. He's in the mortal realm", she replied, walking upstairs and coming back down with her stuff.

"But...you were...well...happy...when he was here...why would you leave him there like that?" he asked.

"It's nothing...come on...I wanna go home", she said as Grim grabbed his scythe.

He led her to the place where the portal was to be opened.

"Aren't you afraid of the Vampeneze?" he asked.

"Not really...if they haven't come by now, they never will", she explained emotionlessly.

They walked through the portal he made and she found herself in her dark home. Mort came running up to her and jumped into her arms. She smiled slightly, and held Mort close. He jumped down and looked around her for Kokujo, sniffing the air for him. She watched this sadly and just walked up to her room and fell face forward onto her bed. Mort came into her room, the plushie in his mouth and jumped up onto the bed. He set the plushie down and inched it to her with his nose. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and held the doll close, praying he'd come back. Conscience burst through the door to her mind, having finally picked the lock and glared at Yin-Yang with untamed fury.

"Yin-Yang! How dare you send us back here! Why do you have to hate everything including us! I see that boy isn't with you! Did you end up hating him too? I can't believe you!" she yelled in anger.

"Conscience please...look at her", Sadness attempted pointing to the broken tenn on the bed.

"Yin-Yang...I-I'm sorry...I-I-" Conscience tried.

"Just go away", Yin-Yang cried.

They turned and walked silently back to her mind. She cried silently on her bed, wanting to die so badly. Die so she could finally be with her mother and to escape these emotions...She turned her CD player on and played her Seether CD up a little to track twenty, called 'Broken'.

I w_anted you to know I love the way you laugh  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away  
I keep your photograph; I know it serves me well  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain'  
__**  
Back in the mortal realm, Ko had turned on his radio and the same song was playing.**_

_Cause Im broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

**_Yin-Yagn began humming along with the song, spilling her emotions into it._**

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again  
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

**Yin-Yang continued to cry throughout the song.**

_Cause Im broken when I'm open  
And I dont feel like I am strong enough  
Cause Im broken when I'm lonesome  
And I dont feel right when you're gone away_

_**Ko turned his radio off, not wanting to hear what was happening in through a song.**_

Cause Im broken when I'm open  
And I dont feel like I am strong enough  
Cause Im broken when I'm lonesome  
And I dont feel right when you're gone away

She soon cried herself to sleep, staining her pillow with her tears.

--------------------------------The next morning (or rather 'afternoon) ---------------------------

Yin-Yang awoke late the next morning...it was about two P.M by the time she finally woke up. She'd gone into a depression and it made her fatigued. A knock was heard at her door and in walked little Rei-Rei.

"Yin-Yang I'm so glad you're back!" she exclaimed happily. "Why are you crying? And where's that guy you like so much?" she asked noticing her sadness.

"Hey Rei...It's a long story..." she replied.

"Ok..." Rei said worry thick in her little voice.

"Rei...I want you to have something I probably won't need anymore...here", Yin-Yang said holding out the plushie.

"But...this is your favorite doll...why would you just **give** me this?" Rei asked staring at her cousin and taking the little doll.

"I don't want it anymore..."Yin-Yang cried.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked worriedly.

"It's nothing you need to worry about...just take the doll and please leave me be", Yin-Yang requested sadly.

"Ok..." she replied, taking the doll and walking out of her room. 'I wish that boy was still here...I've never seen Yin-Yang so sad...not even after Aunt Seri died...I hope he comes back for her...I wish he knew how much she was suffering', Rei thought sadly, staring down at the little doll.

--------------------------------------With Ko at Train station------------------------------------

He was running through the crowd trying to board the train and carry his luggage at the same time. The whistle blew and the train began to take off. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him and threw his luggage into a still open compartment and then jumped on. He gave the conductor his ticket and settled himself into an empty compartment.

'Don't worry...I'll be there as fast I this train will take me', he thought staring out the window at the passing scenery and thinking about his last kiss with her.

He touched his lips at the thought, still smiling and continued to stare out the window, thinking about the only girl, strike that; probably the only human (/vampire) in the universe, who loved him. He sat there, thinking about Yin-Yang.

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**A/N: I hope this was good...I worked really hard on it! If you like it plz review! If you don't...review anyway! Thanx!**


	23. Chapter 6: Nightmares

**A/N: Why can't I get any new reviews for this! Anyway, at least review this! It is good! Kinda forward, but in a good way! I promise!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Duel Masters!**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 6: Nightmares

Yin-Yang tossed and turned under her covers in her dark room as visions came into her head of her bathing in blood. She heard voices. One came out above the others...a deep frightening voice that made her dead heart stop.

-----------------------------------------**Dream Sequence**---------------------------------------------

_Yin-Yang was in a dark, frightening room, tied to a chair with monitors all around her showing her terrifying images of killing. She heard that frightening voice again._

_"Yin-Yang, my child, you must come to us!" it said._

_"Who are you?" she asked in return, fear evident in her dream self._

_"I am Murlough...king of the Vampaneze" he said sending chills up her spine._

_"What do you want?" she asked in return._

_"I want you...You shall be my bride or your lover shall die!" he replied._

_"I have no lover...and even if I did, I wouldn't let you harm him!" she screamed back._

_"But you lie. You do have a lover...this boy...Kokujo...you love him and he loves you does he not?" he asked._

_"Well...yes..."_

_"Then come to the Vampaneze or I shall kill him!" he screeched, making her wake up screaming in a cold sweat._

------------------------------------------**End Dream Sequence**--------------------------------------

Yin-Yang awoke screaming so loud her voice grew slightly hoarse, her father and Rei-Rei next to her, trying to calm her down.

"Yin-Yang, what's wrong?" he asked.

"J-j-j-just b-b-bad d-d-dream..." she said shakily as she calmed down.

"Yin-Yang you **do** have some psychic powers...what was your dream about?" Grim asked.

"Some Vampaneze named Murlough came to me in the dream and told me he'd kill Kokujo if I didn't join the Vampaneze and marry him!" she explained, hating to recall something like that.

"Murlough?" Grim asked cautiously.

"Yes...what's wrong father?" she asked.

"Nothing...get up and get dressed", Grim continued.

With that the old reaper took Rei-Rei out of her room and closed and locked the door as they left. Yin-Yang began dressing and then bent down, about to grab her mother's cloak, when she heard the voice again.

'I'll kill him! If you try and escape, I'll make sure you bathe in his blood! When you leave your home to escape, his blood will rain down upon you, drenching you in your fear' he yelled, causing her to scream again and hold her head.

Her father, Irving and a few of the other P.L.O.O.Ps came running in and knelt down next to her.

"What's wrong?" Grim asked.

"He came back! He said I was gonna bathe in Kokujo's blood if I leave this house!" she exclaimed, holding her arms.

"I need to speak with Shadow King. Yin-Yang I know you're gonna hate this but I want you to go with Irving. Keep her in the house and keep her safe", Grim ordered, walking into the Astral Plane.

Yin-Yang didn't object and simply followed Irving to the living room and sat with him, not caring if he had her snuggling with him...she was just happy she couldn't hear the voice right now.

-----------------------------------**With Kokujo on the train**----------------------------------------

Ko lay sleeping, with the rest of the passengers as if placed under a spell, his breathing slow and steady and he dreamt of Yin-Yang. A creature slid open the door to his compartment, but he slept on. The creature had red hair, purple skin and red finger nails. He smiled at the sleeping boy with evil intentions and gently picked him up. Ko lay limp in his arms as he carried him off the train, oblivious to the fact that there was one boy on that train who was too ignorant to fall under a sleeping spell.

Shobu Kirafuda stared after the tall, frightening creature carry Kokujo away, but found he had no voice as he stood, fearing what he'd do to someone he believed to be his friend. He followed and saw they were headed to Darkness Civilization Land and he went with, carrying Rekuta along as well.

-------------------------------**With the Vampaneze in their evil lair**-----------------------------

Vampaneze stood around Ko with drooling mouths as they ran their hands on his neck.

"Tonight we feast yes?" one asks.

"No", one said on a large throne. "Not until I've claimed my queen. Until that time, the boy shall remain unharmed. If she attempts to leave her home however, I want you to drench Yin-Yang in his blood, then you may devour what's left of him."

"Yes Master Murlough..." another said staring at Kokujo's neck in hunger.

"Tie him down in case he wakes up. I don't want him escaping", Murlough finished smiling wickedly at Ko...his bait.

"Yes master", they said in unison, tying Ko's hands and feet down to a chair.

Shobu and a now awake Rekuta watched in horror as they did this to Kokujo and quickly ran before they could be spotted through the darkness lands to Yin-Yang.

---------------------------------------**Back to Yin-Yang**----------------------------------------------

A knock was heard at the door and Grim answered it to reveal Shobu and Rekuta.

"Shobu what are you doing here?" Yin-Yang asked upon seeing them.

"Yin-Yang! Ko's been captured by these weird, purple things! They say they're gonna kill him after the leader claims his 'queen'! And the leader said he was gonna drench you in his blood if you tried to leave home!" Shobu exclaimed.

"Murlough...he's gonna kill him! I can't do anything!" Yin-Yang cried.

"How did you know his name? I didn't even tell you yet", Shobu asked, confused.

"He's been coming to me in dreams and visions...he told me this was gonna happen and now he's trapped me in my own home!" she exclaimed before falling to her knees and holding her head again.

'Hello child...so good to know you're listening again', Murlough's voice said in her head.

"Let Kokujo go...leave him out of this!" Yin-Yang yelled.

'Alas, I cannot, for I still have not gotten what I want.'

"Don't hurt him..." she whispered.

'If you marry me, I won't', he replied.

"No! I won't do it! I'll fight you for his freedom tomorrow! But you have to let me out of my home so we can fight out in the open when the time comes!" she exclaimed standing.

"Yin-Yang", Irving begged, not wanting **his** princess to fall at their hands.

'Deal, and if you lose, not only do you marry me, but you must also be the one who kills your lover!' Murlough finished.

"Fine...I accept. Winner gets Kokujo's blood; whether it be to drink or save", she replied, finishing their conversation.

"I'm fighting the Vampaneze tomorrow...Father..." she said pausing and turning to her dad, "bring me mother's sword and your sickle...I'm not letting Kokujo die like this!"

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**A/N: I know it sux, get over it, REVIEW! ;D**


	24. Chapter 7: At the Mercy of the Vampaneze

**A/N: K, here's chapter 7! Hope ya likes!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Duel Masters!**

* * *

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 7: At the Mercy of the Vampaneze

The Vampaneze stared at Kokujo hungrily, their blood-filled stomachs growling as they watched him sleep. One looked from their sleeping master to the sleeping boy and gently ran a claw over the soft skin on his arm, bringing the crimson pain from the fresh wound. The Vampaneze began sucking on his arm and Ko's eyes slowly fluttered open at the pain. He looked down at the frightening creature then all around him and screamed. His screaming attracted the attention of all the Vampaneze and the one sucking his blood as he squirmed in his chair, desperately trying to escape him. Murlough looked down upon them all, silencing Kokujo with his bone chilling stare as the Vampaneze let him go and stared at his fearing eyes.

"Leave the boy alone. He must not be harmed if we want our queen to join us", Murlough said, receiving cackling laughter from the others.

"Yin-Yang..." Ko whispered, understand slightly.

"Yes...smart boy...I'm battling her tomorrow for your freedom and hers. If she wins, I won't feed you to my minions", Murlough said smiling wickedly at a now very frightened Kokujo.

He could do nothing...he was tied down and at the mercy of hungry Vampaneze. They were surrounding him and attempting to lick his cheeks just to get a taste of his flesh. He shivered and cried out when their fangs grazed his cheeks.

"Untie him and have him stand before me", Murlough ordered.

The Vampaneze did as they were told and untied Kokujo and forced him forward, his long hair and trench coat flowing behind him as they ushered him forward toward their leader. Ko glared at the Vampaneze lord with disdain. He hated this...this...he didn't know what to call him! He was no man! He had no humanity left in him! All he wanted was to rule and gain power. He was trying to take away his Yin-Yang!

'Wait, 'my Yin-Yang'? Where did that come from?' he thought shaking his head as Murlough approached him.

"I'm not sure what it is Yin-Yang sees in you, but if it gets her to join us, then so be it", he commented running his hands over Ko' face and through his hair.

"Don't touch me!" Ko exclaimed glaring up at the lord, knowing he wouldn't be harmed no matter what he did.

"Bow to your master child", he ordered.

"Hell no! I bow to no one!" Ko replied glaring.

He felt one of the Vampaneze forced him down and made him bow. He blushed, he'd never been so degraded in all his life. He glared at Murlough when he could stand straight again and just glared. Murlough ran a clawed hand over a wound on Ko's cheek and he winced, it stung like hell. He made a small gash and Ko put a hand to it, feeling another just above it; the exact same size and length and the one below it.

"Those marks mean that you're going to be our next meal. It means you're going to die after we've made the third mark tomorrow. But it shall be your lover that kills you...not us", Murlough explained, his yellow teeth shining maliciously as he grabbed Ko's chin, forcing him to look up at him.

Ko shivered and tried to back away only to run into the wall of Vampaneze that was around him, who shackled his arms and legs.

"Yin-Yang and I are going to do battle tomorrow, get some rest..." Murlough said dismissing the others as the dragged Kokujo out in chains to his bedroom.

-----------------------------------------**With Yin-Yang**-----------------------------------------------

"Irving; you, Wilbur, and Eugene are to gather as many P.L.O.O.P members as you can", Yin-Yang said sharpening her mother's sword of dark energy.

"But I thought you hated all the .P.L.O.O.Ps, why would you want me to bring them to you?" Irving asked in retort.

"I'm gonna need an army to battle Murlough...he'll have all of his Vampaneze followers and I'd be outnumbered without you guys and we'll need many shields. You all still have those swords I gave you right?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then ready the troops, for tomorrow...we fight. Take father's scythe and gather the P.L.O.O.Ps", she ordered finishing with her sword as Irving left the Darkness Lands using Grim's scythe.

---------------------------------------------**The next morning**----------------------------------------

Yin-Yang walked over to Rei-Rei and knelt down before her.

"Listen Rei, I need you to go to the Astral Plane and stay there okay? If those Vampaneze get inside I wanna make sure you're protected by my other sides okay? Keep the portal to my mind locked, but let them out of their rooms okay?" Yin-Yang instructed slowly.

Rei nodded and before turning away she handed Yin-Yang the plushie.

"For good luck", Rei said smiling and running off.

Yin-Yang smiled and walked to her mother's room and found her mother's armor. **(Hey, they knew the day would come when the Vampaneze would strike so they were prepared.)** She put the armor on and tucked the plushie safely in with the breastplate right above her heart. She looked herself over in a mirror and smiled through the helmet at her father who had just entered the room. She was equipped with armor as shimmering as the moon and as black as her heart. A helmet and visor had covered the determined Kaijudo mistress. All that could be seen of the girl was her long, raven hair that gently floated in the wind. She held a jet-black sword with a gray sheath that looked like it was smoking.

She sighed as she said silently, a tear running down her cheek, "And now...to war."

She walked downstairs to find her troops ready and smiled, walking past them to her front door. Her father turned to her.

"Yin-Yang, before we do this, I just want you to know I've always been proud of everything you do. If we make it though this, I'll make sure you never go to another P.L.O.O.P meeting and you won't have to marry Irving", he said placing his bony hands on her shoulders.

"Thanks dad", she replied smiling.

She turned to the P.L.O.O.Ps and cocked her head to the door, letting them know to go outside. She handed Shobu and Rekuta a couple of swords and told them they'd have to do anything they could to help. She opened the door to find, a few hundred feet before her, the Vampaneze approaching, dragging Kokujo along with them. They then stood inches from each other and stared each other down. Ko stared longingly into Yin-Yang's eyes, as raven wings emerged from her back in anger at his capture, and attempted to run to her when Murlough stopped him. He breathed into his fist and held his hand over Kos' nose and mouth. Within seconds, Ko was out and had fallen limp in his captor's arms. Murlough handed his body to one of his followers, smiling maliciously.

"What'd he do to Kokujo?" Shobu asked.

"All vampires, whether Vampaneze or not, can breathe out a special gas that knocks out humans...be wary of that. Wait, where are you taking him?" Yin-Yang exclaimed after answering Shobu's question and as the Vampaneze with Ko began running off.

"Be calm princess. My minion is only taking the boy somewhere where our wedding dinner will not be harmed during our battle", Murlough explained.

"In that case; Shobu, Rekuta follow that Vampire on Mort! Make sure he doesn't hurt Kokujo!" she exclaimed turning to the two boys.

The duo hopped on Mort and rode off leaving the battle to her and the P.L.O.O.Ps. Yin-Yang flew at Murlough, her wings spread wide, as the P.L.O.O.Ps battled with the rest of the Vampaneze.

-------------------------------------**With Shobu and Rekuta**---------------------------------------

They stopped just a few ways away from the two and watched as the vampire set Ko down, smiling wickedly, and then turning to the battlefield with a frown.

"Why was I left from this battle?" he asked angrily. "Ah well at least I get to keep a closer eye on dinner...maybe just one bite wouldn't hurt...me", he finished turning back to Ko and baring his fangs at his throat as he lifted Ko's head up a little.

Kokujo's mouth hung open slightly as he breathed in and out, unknowing of the vampire's evil intentions. The Vampaneze quickly made the third cut on Kokujo's cheek and Shobu jumped out from his hiding spot with Rekuta and, sneaking up behind the Vampaneze gooney, sliced off his head and drenched Ko in its blood as he was dropped. Shobu's breathing was ragged and Rekuta was off in the corner puking at the sight of blood. Shobu knelt down next to Kokujo and gently shook him, trying to get his 'friend' to awaken.

"Wake up Kokujo. Come on, please be okay", Shobu begged, staring at his dark friend sadly.

Kokujo groaned as he opened his eyes, sitting up slowly and holding his head, whispering groggily, "Stop...shaking...me."

"Ko are you okay?" Shobu asked as Rekuta walked up to them.

"I'm fine...what are you doing here?" he asked in return.

"We were on our way home when that vampire thing kidnapped you on the train. Everyone else was asleep except me...I wonder why..." Shobu said, thinking for a moment.

"Anyway, Shobu and I followed you two until we arrived at this huge castle. We watched through the window and heard that they were gonna kill you as soon as they beat Yin-Yang in battle!" Rekuta cried throwing himself at Ko in a frightened hug from a child.

Kokujo grimaced and shoved him away, looking out at the battle field.

"Stay here, I'm gonna go help them", he said, walking away.

Shobu grabbed his hand. "You can't! Yin-Yang ordered us to watch you! She doesn't want you to go down there and get hurt! Please Ko!" Shobu begged.

Ko sighed and relaxed, sitting down and watching from the safety of the cliff that was so close, yet so far from them.

------------------------------------------**Back to the battle**-------------------------------------------

Murlough laughed wickedly and brought his sword down on her. Yin-Yang brought up her swords and blocked him with ease. She shook him off and began attacking him with her sword. He blocked every attack and jumped back, to avoid her. He ran at her and sliced away at her armor, making her as unprotected as he was. She began running at him. He made to block an attack but she slid under him and caught his ankles, bringing him down. She jumped up and held her sword before her ready for Murlough's attack. He stood and began running at her, she jumped up, using her wings to keep her aloft, just before he got to her and made a deep gash in his right arm.

He grasped the bleeding wound and glared at her as she landed. He ran at her and she blocked him again. She jumped over him again; sheathing her sword for a moment and grabbing his shoulders, pulling him down, letting her nails cut into his shoulders. He cried out and was able to slash her left arm with his claws, getting her to release him. Yin-Yang stepped back and glared at him, grasping her bleeding arm. She ran at him, unsheathing her sword again, and slashed an 'X' into his chest.

He stumbled back and cackled at her saying, "Do you really think you can win?"

She stared at him with disdain and lunged again. Around her, the P.L.O.O.Ps were being killed, one by one, the same with the Vampaneze army. Though these deaths went unnoticed by Yin-Yang and Grim just sent them back to their owner's bodies to battle as zombies. Yin-Yang's wings grew even larger and her eyes glowed red...thing's were about to get messy.

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**A/N: There it was! Please review!**


	25. Chapter 8: Please Don't Let Me Die

**A/N: Very Angsty! Character death, but it should be good! Please R&R!**

**Disclaimer I don't own DM!**

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Unwanted Betrothal

**Chapter 8: Don't Let Me Die**

Yin-Yang and Murlough were locked in a battle to the death. He did all he could to try and defeat her, but she wouldn't break. She looked to the side as she was thrown down and sent to the ground and saw the small plushie lying there and realized it must've fallen away after Murlough broke through her armor. She picked it up and stood again, placing it safely in the pocket inside her robe. She continued her assault as Ko watched from his safe spot in despair with Shobu and Rekuta. He felt helpless watching this. She was thrown back at one point and he felt he could no longer stand this. He stood and came face to face with yet another hungry Vampaneze. Shobu and Rekuta were currently being held down and gagged by two others. He stepped back only to back into the rock wall he was forced to hide behind. He looked back, and then shuddered at the cold hand grazing his cut cheek. He smacked the hand away and glared at the now very angry Vampaneze. It grabbed his neck, letting its nails dig into his soft flesh. Kokujo cried out making Yin-Yang's ears twitch at the sound and look to him when she could. She glared and tried running to him, only to be stopped by Murlough.

She turned to her father yelling, "Dad take care of Murlough while I go help Ko!"

Death nodded and ran to Murlough, his scythe raised. He attacked with everything he had, letting Yin-Yang run to Kokujo. As she arrived she sliced the Vampaneze away from Shobu, Rekuta, and Kokujo and told Shobu and Rekuta to keep guard.

She then turned to Ko and gave him a gentle kiss, whispering, "I love you...please stay safe."

She then ran back to a now approaching Murlough before he could reply. He sighed after her, feeling even more helpless watching this fight and slumped down against the wall, praying she'd be alright. No one's ever loved him like that before...he didn't want that to end.

------------------------**Back to the Battle with Murlough and Yin-Yang**----------------------

"I can almost feel his blood running down my throat!" Murlough exclaimed, smiling wickedly as he blocked another of her attacks.

She glared at him as she continued her frontal assault.

"I can almost hear him beg for mercy! Maybe he'll cry when you and I rip out his heart!" he yelled.

Tears welled up in her eyes at his words and crimson bled over them completely. She pushed him away, her vampire side taking over and slashed at him again, sending to the ground in defeat. She shook her head forcing herself to regain control and looked around. Ko looked over the wall at her victory and ran to her, Shobu and Rekuta following closely on Mort. As he reached her he embraced her and she returned it, nuzzling her head in his warm chest.

"I'm so glad you're okay Kokujo...I don't know what I would've done if they'd hurt you", she whispered sobbing.

He smiled as he stroked her long hair, breathing in its sweet fragrance and letting her cry into his chest. Below them, Murlough was forcing himself to stand. They pulled away a little, letting her stare into his loving eyes. She smiled at him, but it quickly faded when she saw the approaching Vampaneze. She gasped when she finally noticed Murlough stand and tried pulling Kokujo away but was too late and he was taken away from her by the Vampaneze Lord. She attempted to reach him, but Murlough ordered his minions to hold her down as he held a dagger to Ko's throat.

"Let him go Murlough!" Yin-Yang yelled, struggling against her restraint.

"When are you going to learn that I am evil! I was never going to 'just surrender'. I'm going to kill him! I've already set the plan! These three marks on his cheek signify that he'd be our next meal! And I'm not going to let that plan go astray because of you!" Murlough exclaimed.

"I'm not going to let you kill him", she uttered, letting tears run down her bruised cheeks and struggling less against her captors.

Murlough smirked and turned to his Vampaneze army...or rather...what was left of it.

"Then **they** can have him!" he finished shoving Ko toward his starving minions.

"**NO**! **Let him go**!" Yin-Yang screamed.

"I'm afraid I can't! I've starved them of his flesh and blood long enough! I'm not denying them of their hunger any longer! Now they shall finally feed!" Murlough screeched, cackling at her despair.

Ko screamed in pain as the Vampaneze began ripping at his flesh tearing and marring his skin. Yin-Yang glared at Murlough, then at the Vampaneze tearing at Kokujo's flesh.

"I said, let him go!" she screeched again.

Murlough merely smirked as Ko's screaming grew louder and louder. One that didn't even look Vampaneze then sliced his throat open with a knife and ran, knowing her job was done. Yin-Yang shut her eyes tight, cursing the Vampaneze for not letting her cover her ears at the horrible sound of his screams, screaming with him as dark energy radiated off her, somehow making the Vampaneze let her go and fall to the ground dead as she fell to her knees, digging her nails into the dirt as she opened her now black eyes.

"**STOP!**" she screamed, causing the dark energy to basically erupt out of her and bowl over everyone in sight.

She fell, closing her black eyes, after it was all over and lay almost lifeless. She opened her eyes, now red again, and stood, looking around. Everything around her lay dead...even her father was unconscious. Her legs felt like glass as she began to slowly walk around, dust, or rather, ash, being kicked up beneath her feet. She was standing in a barren wasteland of nothingness. Mort was dead, Shobu and Rekuta, the P.L.O.O.Ps. That's what frightened her...if everyone around her was dead...that means... She turned to the pile of the Vampaneze that had tried killing Kokujo and walked over very slowly, terrified of the sight that might meet her eyes. She picked up each body and threw them off unceremoniously. The sight that met her eyes frightened her and hurt her to no end.

Ko's cold, mangled body lay lifeless before her, his eyes staring up listlessly into space. She knelt down and gently touched his bruised and scarred face; his forehead had been bashed in, probably from one of the Vampaneze's bodies crashing down upon his. His left eye was black with bruise from an elbow to it in the struggle, and his long beautiful, blue hair was tainted with his own blood, his body marred with torn and bruised flesh. His neck had been cut open and she couldn't help but stare for a moment before gently picking his head up and closing his shadowed eyes, letting tears mix with the blood in his hair. She picked up his right leg to find it broken so badly, that the bone was sticking out of the flesh. Her father finally came to and he ran to Yin-Yang, wanting to fully understand what had happened. He stood beside his mourning daughter, knowing full well that Ko was dead.

She looked up at him with sorrowful eyes and uttered in a raspy voice, "I did this didn't I father? It was I that killed him...I killed them all."

He remained silent. When Yin-Yang was born, she was endowed with a little of his power. Sadly, when that power was converted to hatred that continues to build; it erupts away from her body in a huge surge of power. His silence was her answer and she looked back to Kokujo's lifeless body and held him to her, crying against his bloody, bashed, and scared forehead.

As she cried she whispered with a great sob, "I'm so sorry Kokujo...I didn't mean to hurt you like this..."

--------------------------------------**Back in the Astral Plane**--------------------------------------

As Rei waited with Yin-Yang's other sides, Sadness suddenly burst into tears, as did Conscience and even Angst.

"What's wrong!" Rei asked at the sudden sadness throughout them all.

"We don't know!" Conscience replied crying.

"Rei, go out there and see what's going on! Just be careful!" Sadness cried.

Rei ran out of the Astral Plane, closing the portal to her mind before running out of Yin-Yang's room. As soon as she walked out of the house, she stopped dead. Everyone around her in the Darkness Lands was dead. She saw Grim standing before a kneeling Yin-Yang and ran to them, wanting to know what was going on. Her eyes widened when she saw Kokujo lying limp in Yin-Yang's arms and she started crying too, hugging Grim around the knees. She and Grim looked around to find Shobu and Rekuta lying dead too. He turned back to Yin-Yang gently kissing him before laying his body back down.

"I **could** bring them back you know Yin-Yang. It's still my job to control the spirits", Grim offered.

"Only bring Shobu, Rekuta and the P.L.O.O.P.s back...let Kokujo rest in peace", she wept in return.

"But Yin-Yang-"

"Father...I don't want to watch him suffer. At least in death he won't be in pain", Yin-Yang said stopping him.

"I understand Yin-Yang but I know you're hurting...I'm going to bring him back so you can at least say good-bye. I don't want you to have him die with out that. You never got this chance with your mother and you hurt everyday because of it. Just a few more minutes with him and then I'll let him rest okay?" Death asked.

Yin-Yang nodded and held Ko to her again. Grim struck the ground with the wooden end of his scythe making Rekuta and Shobu rise with the P.L.O.O.Ps. Ko's eyes opened slowly, but shut tightly against the pain as he groaned. The P.L.O.O.Ps, Shobu and Rekuta ran over to them and Rei knelt next to him with a small vile of her aunt's healing saliva, gently rubbing it into his cheek, not wanting there to be any trace of what that bastard wanted to do to Kokujo.

Yin-Yang held him closer, tears running down their cheeks at his pain, rubbing the back of his head and whispering, "It'll be okay...the pain will end soon."

Shobu and Rekuta were walking up to find them in their pain.

"What happened?" Shobu asked.

"The Vampaneze did this...I couldn't help..."she replied quietly as she held his aching body.

Shobu said nothing more and was led with Rekuta and the P.L.O.O.Ps away from them by Grim so she could speak with him alone. Rei gave Yin-Yang one last hug and kissed Ko's cheek once before leaving, wishing he could be her new cousin-in-law instead of Irving...if that were to happen. They stared after her and Yin-Yang smiled slightly, then turned back to Kokujo.

"I'm dying aren't I?" he asked in a hoarse tone.

"Not dying...you died...my father brought you back so I could say good-bye to you...something I couldn't do with my mother when she died..." she replied crying.

"I don't wanna die...please don't let me die Yin-Yang. I don't want you to be alone again...I don't want Murlough to be right either", he uttered weakly.

"How did you know that I did this?" she asked.

"You're the daughter of the Grim Reaper...you had to have had some kind of reaping power", he explained.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"I could never hold anything against you..." he replied.

She smiled.

"Why are you going to let me die though?" he asked, tears forming in his listless eyes.

"Look at yourself and tell me you want to live with all of this", she replied.

He looked down at his battered and bruised body and grimaced.

"I don't care...I just want to live and be with you..." he said snuggling up to her.

She sighed and thought for a moment.

"If that's what you **really** want...than I'll help you heal...but I'm gonna have to take you to a mortal hospital. What I have won't help you heal. Do you think you can stand at all?" she asked.

He attempted it, but cried out in pain and fell back down, saying a pained, "No."

"FATHER!" she called, ushering the old reaper out.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he ran up to her.

"He wants to live. We're gonna need to get him to a mortal hospital though..." she replied.

"Alright, I'll carry him then", Grim said picking Kokujo up as gently as he could after handing Yin-Yang his scythe.

Ko winced at the pain and groaned as Yin-Yang made a portal to the mortal Hospital...where they knew Grim a little too well.

A nurse smiled at them when they walked up and asked in a very southern voice, "Hey Grim, ya'll here for Mr. Silverman?"

"Nah, dat's next week", Grim replied in a thick Jamaican voice, then in his normal one, "I'm here cause this kid needs medical attention, pronto", Grim said motioning to Kokujo, who was lying in his arms, moaning.

The nurse quickly called for a doctor and Kokujo was rushed into surgery. Outside the hospital however, a girl in red clothes, carrying a bloodied knife stood, glaring at Yin-Yang as Ko was taken to surgery and made a grim promise that she'd have her revenge in a secret Vampaneze **(All vampires use it) **language.

* * *

**A/N: Hope this was good! Yay! she's gonna let him live! Hope it works! And what I mean by 'VAmpaneze language' is that it's kinda like Japanese, or Chinese. Get it? Hope that explains it! L8R!**


	26. Chapter 9: Something's Not Right

**Sorry this took so long, I've been brain-dead for a while and had no ideas. Anyway, I'd like to point out one, tiny matter; The vampaneze in this story, Murlough, is actually owned by Darren Shan. I truthfully didn't even know I was using the name he did, cuz when I wrote this I just put down the first thought that came to my mind, anyway, so I don't own Murlough. JSYK!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Yin-Yang and Rei-Rei!**

* * *

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 9: Something's Not Right

For the two months that Yin-Yang and Grim were forced to stay in the mortal realm while Kokujo healed, she couldn't help but think. She looked up at her dad though tired eyes as he walked into the living room of Ko's parent's home and sat with her on the couch and handed her some tea, with a side of blood.

"Hey Yin-Yang, are you alright? You look really tired", he commented and she took a sip of her tea.

"I've been having more nightmares...Murlough continues to return to me and haunt me...Father, are you sure you rid our lives of that bastard?" she replied glaring before her.

"Of course I would never let that son of a bitch live on", Grim said, slightly surprised she'd asked. "Why?"

"Because my dreams are getting worse..." she replied simply as Kokujo's mother walked of his room.

She was a tall, stern-looking woman with short, black hair (Ko got most of his looks from his late dad's side of the family).

She glared at Yin-Yang before saying in a strict voice, "What have you done to my child? You and your freeloading father have been here for two months, yet you regret informing me about my son."

"I'll have you know, I'm not the one who inflicted these wounds upon him. It was a Vampaneze named Murlough. A vampaneze, is a vampire who drains someone of all of their blood when they drink from them...Ko was going to be his next victim...now, while I'm on the subject of your son; is he awake?"

"Yes..."

"Good, Then I shall see him..." Yin-Yang said standing and walking to Kokujo's room before his mother could tell her different.

"Why exactly are you doing this? Because you love your son, or because you want money through a lawsuit?" Grim asked, he said glaring at the mother as she stormed off.

Yin-Yang walked into Kokujo's room and smiled when she saw his resting body. She walked over to him and lay down next to him, careful of his still healing leg.

She laid her head on his chest and cuddled up to him, sensing his drowsiness and whispered, "Wake up Kokujo..."

His eyes fluttered open and he smiled down at her then winced at the pain in his leg. He held her close as she snuggled up to him and whispered, "Hey...How've you been?"

"Alright...how are you feeling?" she replied smiling up at him.

"Great...now that you're here..." he said holding her closer and blushing a little.

She blushed as well and kissed his cheek, whispering, "I love you."

Ko smiled and nuzzled her.

"You have no idea how much I missed hearing you say that", he said cuddling with her and smiling.

Yin-Yang smiled back and kissed him before whispering, "I'm so glad you're still alive..."

But he probably didn't hear her, for he was still quite fatigued and he merely smiled as his eyes drooped closed and he drifted off into painless sleep.

Yin-Yang gently sat up and got off the bed and walked to the door. She smiled before it soon faded into a sad, concerned frown. Something else was troubling her and she **had** to speak to her father. She walked out to the living room to find him sitting there again and sat down with him.

"Father, there was something else I noticed about Kokujo's wounds", she said, urgency in her voice.

"Really? What's that?" he asked in return.

"His neck had been sliced open by a knife. How do I know it was a knife? It's because I know what a Vampaneze mark looks like and that mark was from a weapon. Vampaneze never use weapons in their killings; they prefer the old fashion way of things. That's what worries me. I'm trying to figure out who used it, because, as I said, when feeding, all Vampaneze use their hands, not a dagger", she explained.

"I'm not sure...I'm going to the Darkness Civilization Lands to go back in time and try to find out who did this okay?" he asked, standing.

Yin-Yang nodded and he walked off to make the portal.

**--Later that night--**

Yin-Yang lay tossing and turning under the covers on the couch bed and moaned as she began to dream.

**--Dream sequence--**

_I was walking down a sidewalk in the mortal realm with Kokujo to his home. He was well; no mark could be seen on his handsome, smooth skin. When we reached his home, I told him I'd stay out and enjoy the stormy day. He nodded and kissed my cheek before walking inside and closing the door._

_It was then that I heard a soft chuckling noise beneath my feet. Glancing down, through the bars of the vent, I saw nobody and thought I must've been hearing things. But then a voice came from out of the shadows._

_"I like your boyfriend, Yin-Yang. Good choice", it said with a giggle, and I shivered, knowing all to well who was down there. "A very tasty dish. Good enough to eat, wouldn't you agree? Much tastier-looking than your little cousin. Much tastier than Rei-Rei._

_**It was Murlough-the mad Vampaneze!**_

_I dropped to my knees after making sure Kokujo wasn't looking and peered through the bars of the vent. It was dark down there, but after a few seconds I was able to make out the rough figure of the fat vampaneze._

_"What's your boyfriend's name, hmmm?" Murlough asked. "I'm afraid I cannot remember...How about you tell me Yin-Yang? What's your juicy boyfriend's name?"_

_He pronounced the second part of my name wrong so that it sounded like 'Yin-Yawng'._

_"How did you find me?" I gasped._

_"**That**__ my love, was easy." He leaned forward, carefully avoiding the limited rays of sunlight, and tapped the side of his head. "Used my brains", he said. "Young Murlough's got plenty of brains my lovely, yes he does. I simply tortured that annoying little brat till she told me that you and the Reaper were staying in the mortal realm."_

_"Where is Rei-Rei?" I exclaimed, tears in my frightened eyes as I pounded the bars of the vent to silence him. I gave them a good yank, but they were sealed firmly to the ground._

_"Rei-Rei?" Murlough did a strange little half-dance in the darkness underneath the vent. "Rei-Rei's strapped up", he told me. "Hanging by her ankles. Blood rushing to her head. Squealing like a piggy. Begging to be let free."_

_"Where is she?" I asked desperately. "Is she alive?"_

_"Tell me", he said, ignoring my questions, "where are you and the Reaper staying? You've moved homes, haven't you? That's why I didn't see you coming out of the Darkness Lands. What were you doing in the square anyway? NO!" he shouted as I opened my mouth to speak. "Don't tell me, don't tell me! Give the brains a chance to work. Young Murlough's got plenty of brains. Brains oozing out his ears, one would say."_

_He paused, his little red eyes darting back and forth, and then he snapped his fingers and squealed. "The boy! Yin-Yang's little friend! He lives in the square hmmm? You are staying with him. Which house is his? Don't tell me, don't tell me! I'll figure it out! I'll track him down! Juicy looking boy. Plenty of blood, hmmm? Delicious, salty blood. I can taste him already."_

_"Stay away from him!" I screamed. "If you go near him I'll-"_

_"Silence!" the vampaneze barked. "Don't you threaten me child! I won't take lip from a runtish half-vampire like you! Any more of that, and I'm off! And that'll be the end of Rei-Rei!"_

_I brought myself under control. "Does that mean she's still alive?" I asked shakily._

_Murlough grinned and tapped his nose. "Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. No way for you to know for sure though is there?"_

_"My mother told me that vampaneze **have** to keep their word", I said. "If you give me your word that she's alive, then I'll know."_

_Murlough nodded slowly. "She's alive."_

_"You give me your word?"_

_"I give you my word my love", he said. "Rei-Rei's alive. Tied up and strung up. Squealing like a piggy."_

_Murlough really had an annoying way of repeating himself._

_"Look", I said, "Let Rei-Rei go. Please, she's never done anything to you."_

_"No, but she makes a good lure to get to you and that **boy**!" He added a nasty tone when he mentioned Ko._

_"Kokujo has done nothing to you either!"_

_"He interfered with my plans to get to you! He got in my way of taking you!"_

_"He didn't get in your way!" I said. "He was outside, and on a train!"_

_"**In**side, **out**side-he wasn't on **my** side. But he soon will be..." Murlough licked his blood-red lips. "On my side and in my tummy. I've never had such a human before. I'm very much looking forward to it. Maybe I'll stuff him before feeding. Make it more Christmasy."_

_"I'll kill you!" I screamed, tugging at the vent, losing my self-control. "I'll track you down and tear you apart, limb-from-limb!"_

_"Oh my!" Murlough laughed, pretending to be scared. "Oh heavens! Please don't hurt me little half-vampire witch! Young Murlough's a good guy! Say you'll leave me be!"_

_"Where's Rei-Rei?" I roared. "Bring her up here now!"_

_"Alright!" Murlough snapped. "I did not come here to be shouted at, no I did not. There's plenty of other places I can go if I want people shouting at me! Now shut up and listen."_

_It took great effort, but I finally cooled down enough to listen to this ugly enemy._

_"Good." Murlough grunted. "That's better. You're not as stupid as the other vampires. A little brains in my pretty Yin-Yang hmmm? Not as smart as I, of course, I mean who could be? Murlough's got more brains..._

_"Wait..I'm getting off track", he dug his nails in the wall beneath the vent and climbed a couple of feet. "Listen carefully", he sounded sane now, "I don't know how you managed to kill me-Rei-Rei wouldn't tell me, no matter **how** much I tortured her-and I don't care anymore! That's your secret. Keep it. We all need secrets don't we, hmmm?_

_"I'll make you a deal; I'll let you and Rei-Rei live, if **you** give me the boy"._

_"**Never**! There's no way!" I said, sobs rising in my throat as I thought of what my words meant for Rei-Rei._

_Murlough spat at me in disgust and his spit bounced off the vent. "You are a fool", he snarled. "I thought you were smart, but you are not. So be it. I'll find your little boyfriend. Then I'll kill him and come for you! Wait and see it I do not!"_

_The vampaneze let go of the wall and dropped into the darkness below. "Think of me Yin-Yang!" he shouted as he slipped away down the tunnel. "Think of me when Christmas comes around, as you're biting into your turkey and ham. Do you know what **I'll** be biting into? Do you?" his laugh echoed eerily as he waltzed away down the tunnel and as I awoke._

**--End dream sequence--**

**(Author's POV)**

Yin-Yang awoke in a cold sweat and her breathing ragged. She sat up and looked around. Her father wasn't home yet, but he soon would be...she'd speak to him about it later. Until then, she'd just sleep

**--Second dream sequence--**

**(Yin-Yang's POV (again))**

_I was walking through these tunnels, looking for my little Rei-Rei. Suddenly, and without warning, a hand jabbed hard into my back and sent me crashing to the floor. I gave a yell of surprise and rooled over and stood, gazing blindly into the darkness._

_"Who's there?" I asked shakily. A dry chuckle answered me. "Who's there?" I gasped. "Father? Is that you? Did you follow me down? Is it-"_

_"No", Murlough whispered in my ear. "It's not." He flicked on a flashlight before my eyes._

_The light was blinding. I gasped and shut my eyes, all thought s of defending my self going down the toilet as they were completely forgotten. It was just what this bastard had been waiting for. Before I could react, he ducked forward, opened his mouth, and breathed on me...the breath of the undead...the gas that knocked people out!_

_I tried drawing back, but it was too late. The gas was in my body. It raced up my nostrils and down my throat, flooding my lungs, forcing me to double over, coughing fitfully._

_The last thing I remember was falling forward, Murlough's bare, purple feet growing larger as I dropped toward them._

_And then...nothing...Just black._

_Outside of my dream I was about to wake when I awoke again in the dream._

_I found myself face to face with a skull. Not just any skull either, mind you-this one still had flesh over it and one of its eyeballs was floating in its socket._

_I screamed and tried pulling away, only to find that I couldn't. I looked up (wait: Up! Shouldn't I be looking down?) at my body to find it bound tight with ropes as I hung upside down. After a few minutes of panic, I saw the rope holding me like this._

_"I bet the world looks different from there, hmmm?" Murlough said. Twirling around-I couldn't move my limbs, but I could swing around-and saw him sitting a little ways away from the skull, chewing on a fingernail. He stuck out a foot and began rocking the skull. "Say hello to Rei-Rei", he chuckled._

_"**NO**!" I screamed, swing forward and baring my fangs, attempting to bite deep into his leg. Fortunately for him, the rope wouldn't stretch that far, and it reduced me to swinging fruitlessly. "You promised you wouldn't kill her before Christmas!" I shrieked._

_"You mean it **isn't** Christmas?" Murlough asked innocently. "Whoops. Sorry. Bit of a boo-boo, hmmm?"_

_"I'll kill you!" I screamed. "I'm gonna-"_

_A tiny moan cut me short. Turning, I noticed that I wasn't alone with Murlough. Someone else was strung upside down, a couple of feet away._

_"Who's that? Who's there?"_

_"Y-Y-Y-Yin-Yang?" a tiny voice said._

_"**Rei-Rei?**" I gasped, tears in my eyes._

_Murlough cackled and flicked on a bright light. It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the light and when they did, I was able to make out the adorable shape and features of the little girl. She looked hungry, exhausted, and terrified-but she was alive._

_Rei-Rei was alive!_

_"Fooled you didn't I?" Murlough laughed, walking closer._

_"What are you doing here Yin-Yang?" Rei-Rei moaned. Her face was badly marred with cuts and bruises and I could see pinkish patches over some of the flesh that was showing from where Murlough had tortured her. "How did he-"_

_"That's enough out of you child!" Murlough growled as he kicked Rei-Rei, sending her snapping back on her rope._

_"Stop that!" I yelled._

_"Make me." Murlough laughed. "Be quiet", he told Rei-Rei. "If you speak again without permission, they'll be your last words. Understand?" Rei-Rei nodded feebly. All the fight had been beaten out of her. She was such a pitiful sight...but she was alive...that was the main thing._

_I began to take in my surroundings. We were in a large cavern. It was too dark to see if it was natural or man-made. Rei-Rei and I were hanging from a steel bar. Skeletons lined the walls and littered the floor. I could hear water dropping somewhere and could see a small, rough cot in the corner._

_"Why have you brought me here?" I asked._

_"The little brat was lonely", Murlough answered. "I thought you'd be good company for her hmmm?"_

_"How did you find me?"_

_"Wasn't hard", Murlough said. "Wasn't hard. I heard you and the old Reaper coming from miles away. I followed you. Murlough knows these pipes like the back of his teeth, yes he does. Young Murlough's smart. Been down here long enough. Wasn't just twiddling my thumbs."_

_"Why didn't you attack?" I asked. "My father was alone", I continued, baiting him. "He had no flashlight. It was dark. But you decided to come after **me**. You're a coward. You were too scared to attack someone your own size. You're no better than-"_

_Murlough's fist collided with my jaw and I heard Rei-Rei scream._

_"Say that again", he growled, "and I'll slice off an ear."_

_I glared at the vampaneze with great hatred, but held my tongue._

_"Murlough's afraid of nothing!" he shrieked. "Especially not an old Reaper like him. What kind of Reaper consorts with children, hmmm? He isn't worth bothering with. I'll knock him off later. **You** however...you have more guts. You're more hot-blooded." Murlough bent down and pinched my cheeks. "I like hot blood", he said softly._

_"You cannot drink from us", I explained. "We're half-vampires. We're off limits."_

_"Maybe I'm through with limits. I'm a free agent, I answer to no one. The laws of the vampaneze do not trouble me here. I'll do what I wish!"_

_"It's poison", I gasped. "The vampire blood that runs through our veins is poison to vampaneze!"_

_"Is it?"_

_"Yes."_

_Murlough made a face. "You are right about the vampire blood", he grumbled. "I took a little from her-just testing, min you, just testing-and threw up for hours after."_

_"I told you", I said triumphantly. "We're no good to you. Our blood's worthless. It can't be drunk."_

_"You're right", Murlough murmured. "But it can be **shed**. I can kill and eat the two of you even if I can't **drink** from you." He began pushing us, so that we were swinging wildly, making me feel really sick._

_"Please, at least let Rei-Rei go...I'll give you anything", I pleaded._

_Murlough laughed. "No go. You had your chance."_

_I drooped my head, knowing what I must do. "I'll give you someone else. Somebody even better", I said with tears running up my face and to the floor._

_"Who?" Murlough laughed. "Who could you give to me, Yin-Yang?"_

_"I'll give you..." I gulped deeply, shut my eyes tight, and whispered the terrible words._

_"What was that?" Murlough asked, his suspicions raised. "I didn't hear you."_

_"I said..." I licked my lips and forced the words out again, louder this time. "I said; I'll give you my boyfriend", I was crying openly now. "If you spare Rei-Rei...I'll give you...Kokujo..._

**--End second dream sequence--**

**(Author's POV)**

Yin-Yang sat up straight. How could she dream such a thing! What was going on! Then she realized...it's just a dream...It'd never happen...**ever**. With such a thought in mind, and even though she was slightly afraid to, she lay back down and closed her eyes as she drifted back to sleep again.

**--Third dream sequence--**

**(Yin-Yang's POV (Again, again))**

_Murlough was now leading me through the tunnels, still bound by the ropes to Kokujo. He sang gruesome little songs as he skipped along after me, telling me what he was going to do once he got his foul hands on my Kokujo._

_We passed quickly through the tunnels. Regretfully for me, he had to carry me whenever crawling or climbing was required. I hated being so close to him-his breath stank of human blood-but I had to put up with it. He wasn't going to loosen the ropes around my arms, no matter what the circumstances._

_We left the tunnels be a drain close to the square. Murlough hauled me up, only to violently shove me back down as a car went passed._

_"Have to be careful", he hissed. "Police have been over the city like flies ever since they found the bodies. Most annoying. In the future, I'll be sure to bury the bones more carefully."_

_He brushed some dirt off his white suit when he stood, but made no effort to clean mine. "I can't wait to bury my teeth in this boy", he said patting his gross stomach and giggling. "Come on", he said. "You lead. Take the back route. Less chance of being seen."_

_The streets were pretty barren-it was late on Christmas Eve, and the melting snow meant walking was slippery business-and we met no one. We trudged through the sluch, Murlough shoving me to the ground whenever a car drove by. I was getting sick of it-unable to break my fall with my hands, my face was taking the worst punishment-but he only laughed when I complained._

_"Toughen you up, hmmm?" he said._

_Eventually, we reached Kokujo's. Murlough paused at the darkened back door and glanced around nervously. The surrounding houses were in darkness, but still he hesitated. For a moment, I thought he was gonna back out of our deal._

_"Scared?" I asked softly._

_"Young Murlough is scared of nothing!" he snapped immediately._

_"Then what are you waiting for?"_

_"You seem very eager to lead me to your boyfriend", he said suspiciously._

_I shrugged as best I could beneath the ropes. "The longer I have to wait, the worse I'm gonna feel", I said. "I know what has to be done. I don't like it, and I'll feel awful afterwards, but all I want to do right now is have it over and done with so I can take Rei-Rei and find someplace warm to lie down and relax. My feet feel like blocks of ice."_

_"Poor little half-vampire." Murlough giggled, then used one of his sharp vampaneze nails to cut a circle in the glass of the back-door window. Reaching in, he opened the door and shoved me through._

_He listened quietly to the noises of the house._

_"How many people live here?" he asked._

_"Two "I said, "Kokujo and his mother."_

_"No brothers or sisters?" I shook my head. "No guests?"_

_"Just the two of them...and my dad, but he's still out", I replied._

_"I might nibble on hid mother a little when I'm finished with the boy", he muttered._

_"That wasn't part of the deal!" I hissed._

_"So what? I never said I'd spare her. I doubt if I'll be hungry after, but maybe I'll come back another night. She'll think it's a family curse." He giggled._

_"You're disgusting." I growled._

_"You're only saying that because you like me." He chuckled. "Go on," he said, focusing back on the serious business. "Up the stairs. The mothers room first. I want to make sure they're asleep."_

_"Of course they're asleep," I said. "It's the middle of the night. You'd hear them if they were awake."_

_"I don't want them walking in on me", he said._

_"Look," I sighed, "if you want to check on her, fine, I'll take you to her. But you're wasting time. Wouldn't it be better if we got in and out as quickly as possible?"_

_The vampaneze thought it over. "Very well," he said. "But if they wake up unexpectedly, young Murlough will kill them, yes he will, and it'll be **your** fault."_

_"Fair enough", I said as I started up the stairs._

_It was a long, tense walk. Being bound by ropes, I wasn't able to move as quietly as usual. Every time a step creaked, I winced and paused. Murlough was tense too: his hands were twitching and he drew in a sharp intake of breath whenever I made a noise and stopped._

_When I got to Kokujo's door, I leaned my head against it and sighed sadly. "This is it", I said._

_"Out of the way", Murlough snapped and shoving me to one side. He stood there, sniffing, then smiled. "Yes", he said. "I can smell his blood. You can smell it, too, I bet, hmmm?"_

_"Yes", I sobbed._

_He turned the handle and eased the door open. It was dark inside, but our eyes were used to the greater darkness of the tunnels, so they adjusted quickly._

_Murlough glanced around the room, noting the closets, chests of drawers, the few posters and the pieces of furniture._

_Kokujo's outline could just be seen beneath the covers of his bed, moving around slightly, like a person would when he's having a bad dream. The smell of his blood was thick in the air._

_Murlough moved forward, then remembered me. He tied me to the door handle, tugged at it hard to make sure the knot was nice and tight, and then jammed his face up to mind and sneered._

_"Have you ever seen death before, Yin-Yang?" he asked._

_"Yes", I said._

_"It's wonderful isn't it?"_

_"No", I said bluntly. It's horrible."_

_The vampaneze sighed. "You cannot see the beauty. Never mind. You are young. You will learn as you grow." He pinched my chin between a couple of purple, red-nailed, fingers and a thumb. "I want you to watch", he breathed. "Watch as I rip his throat open. Watch as I steal his soul and make it mine."_

_I tried averting my eyes, but he pinched harder and forced them back. "If you don't watch", he said, "I'll go straight to the mother's room after this and kill her too. Understand?"_

_"You're a monster", I said, gasping._

_"**Understand**?" he repeated menacingly._

_"Yes", I said, jerking my chin free and crying. "I'll watch."_

_"Good girl." He chuckled. "Clever girl. You never know-you might enjoy it. This could be the making of you. Maybe you'll finally come to me when I leave. How about it Yin-Yang? Fancy abandoning that boring old Reaper and becoming young Murlough's lovely bride, hmmm?"_

_"Just get on with it", I hissed, not bothering to hide the disgust lacing my voice._

_Murlough crossed the room slowly, making no sound. I watched, my stomach churning, as he closed in on his prey. Even if I hadn't been under orders to watch, I couldn't look away. It was a dreadful sight, but fascinating. Like watching a spider zoom in on a fly. Only **this** spider had deadly claws cared, ate humans, and had an entire city for a web._

_He approached the bed from the side nearest the door, stopping half a foot away. Then he pulled something from one of his pockets. Straining my eyes, I realized it was a bag. Opening it, he took out some kind of salt like substance and sprinkled it on the floor. I didn't dare speak, for I could tell this was simply some kind of ritual. He walked around the bed, sprinkling the 'salt' and muttering words I couldn't make sense of. When he was finished, he walked back to the foot of the bed, glanced over to make sure I was watching, and then, in one swift move-almost too quick for me to follow- leaped onto the bed, landed with a foot on either side of the sleeping boy, jerked back the covers, and lashed out with his nails; killer cuts that would slash open Kokujo's throat and end his life in an instant._

**--End third dream sequence--**

**(Author's POV)**

Yin-Yang sat straight up as she awoke, screaming. Grim was next to her gently trying to settle her down.

"Yin-Yang, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice urgent as Kokujo's mother came out followed by Ko who was swaggering.

"What's with all the screaming?" she asked, glaring at Yin-Yang as Kokujo sat next to her and let her cry into his chest.

"Father, Is Rei-Rei still in the Darkness lands?" Yin-Yang asked shakily.

"Of course", he said as she continued to cry.

"What did you find out about Murlough?"

Grim sighed.

"I accidentally brought him back when I brought the others...he arose soon after with the help of this girl with long black hair with red tints and purple tinted skin. She was the one with the knife", Grim explained after a slight pause.

Yin-Yang cried harder into Kokujo's chest and he held her closer.

Meanwhile, on a hill near the house, a young girl with that description stood, holding up a limp figure with purple skin, beady, red eyes, and a devilish grin on his ugly features.

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**There's chapter 9! YAY! Hope ya liked it! Plz review! That means _you_ Thea.**


	27. Chapter 10: Kamara

**A/N: ok...here's the 10th chapter peoples! BE HAPPY! anyway, hope ya like this! Though I warn you if you don't like sad endings; don't finish this story! Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

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Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 10: Kamara

Yin-Yang refused to sleep the rest of the entire night, she was too shaken from those dreams and was far too afraid to sleep a wink. Kokujo stayed up with her, letting her cling to him to ease her fright. He lay back on the couch and pulled her down with him, letting her cuddle up to him. He ran his fingers through her hair and smiled when he felt she did against his chest.

Yin-Yang bit her lip, but didn't look up at him when she said in a weary voice, "I'm sorry you have to see me like this; so afraid of a mere dream..."

He stared down at her with an incredulous look.

"You don't need to be sorry. I can relate to what you're afraid of. If you'll recall, he wanted to kill me", he lowered his voice, "and, obviously, still does," he raised his voice again so that he was talking to her normally again, "so you have every right to fear these dreams..."

She looked up at him and smiled. Then she thought of something.

"Ko; if you really wanna be with me 'forever' would you like to become a half-vampire like me?" she asked.

Ko looked shocked for a moment, then smiled at her and nodded. She smiled at him and placed her nails to the tips of his fingers.

"This will hurt," she warned.

He nodded and grunted when he felt her dig her nails into the soft flesh of his skin. She did the same thing to each of her fingers then placed their cuts together. She closed her eyes as her blood flowed through the tips of her fingers to his body and began panting as their blood fused. Ko couldn't help but cry out when this started and tried to pull away, only to find that they were practically glued together. He shut his eyes tight, trying to shut out the pain. When it was finally over, Yin-Yang pulled away and collapsed on his chest, licking the blood off his fingers as the wounds closed up on both of their fingertips.

She smiled against his chest again and closed her eyes...a moment later, that smile was replaced with a frown of worry.

"What's wrong?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows. He felt tears through the cloth of his night shirt. "Why are you crying?"

"Y-y-you...can't...You can't come back with me...it's too dangerous...if you come back with us, Murlough could kill you...I can't risk that..." she stuttered in reply as she cried harder against his chest.

He lay back down and held her closer, letting her cry. He watched her cry on him for a while before she finally just cried herself to sleep. He could hear his mother and Grim in the kitchen through Yin-Yang's unconscious sobs and propped himself up again to listen a little closer.

"I want that little bitch outta my house now! Ya old bag of bones!" she nearly yelled at the old reaper.

"Oh don't you worry your bitchy little head off! As soon as we get our stuff together and you son's able to walk again, we're outta here!" Grim replied angrily.

"My son is **not** leaving! He's been through enough with that little whore! He's staying here with me and I'll finally be rid of your freeloading ass!"

"If in weren't for the face that my daughter loved you son so much, I'd reap your ass to the very depths of Hell! You don't talk like that about my daughter and if you continue, I **will** reap your soul and make sure you never get outta purgatory!"

Ko sighed quietly and looked down at Yin-Yang who was now sleeping peacefully again. He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb and smiled at her when she nuzzled closer to him. His eyes widened a little when she began to breathe harder though. She took a slight hold on his night shirt and started sobbing again. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up abruptly, her eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly as she looked around frantically.

She stood and ran outside, leaving the door open as she stood in the doorway.

"I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE MURLOUGH! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! SHOW YOURSELF ALREADY YOU COWARD!" she yelled at the sky.

Ko sat up and gingerly hobbled over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What is going on?" he asked his voice shaky and laced with worry.

She looked back at Ko, then straight ahead, as if she'd seen something he hadn't. That's when he heard the laughter.

"You think old Murlough is a coward...my lovely?" a voice said from the darkness.

Ko unconsciously held Yin-Yang to him in fear of their safety. She, however, remained unflinching as the old Vampaneze clambered out of the darkness with the help of a girl with reddish-black hair. She wore a red shirt with long, white sleeves and had purple tinted skin, red eyes and red fingernails.

Yin-Yang stared at her for a moment before finally speaking.

"You're a half Vampaneze, aren't you?" she asked staring at the girl.

The half-Vampaneze glared at Yin-Yang.

"Yes...my name is Kamara...and **you**," she paused, "are the one who killed my father..."

Yin-Yang closed her eyes in disgust.

"You...are Murlough's...daughter?" she asked in a sickly voice.

"Yes," Kamara replied.

"Excuse me while I go throw up..."Yin-Yang said walking into the house again and into the bathroom.

Grim came to the door and stood in front of Kokujo to distance him from the now hungry-looking Vampaneze. They stared each other down for a few minutes before Yin-Yang came back, looking pale.

"Okay...I think I'm better...so **you're** still weak eh?" she asked the fatter of the two unwanted guests.

"Silence!" Murlough snapped. He calmed down quickly. "Have any 'good' nightmares lately my dear?"

"Shut up..." she bit back.

"Get the fuck off my property!" they heard from behind.

They looked back to find Ko's mother standing behind him, glaring at Murlough.

"Hey, Dip-shit, you don't talk like that to a Vampaneze if you wanna live," Yin-Yang snapped.

"A 'what'?" she asked in a snobbish fashion.

"Remember that thing that tried to kill Kokujo?" Yin-Yang asked.

"Yeah..."

"That would be him..." Yin-Yang finished pointing to Murlough.

"Yes...and as soon as I get my strength back...you'll finally be mine," Murlough commented.

"Why's that? How are you gonna get your strength back?" Grim asked cautiously.

Murlough turned to Kamara and began speaking a strange language. Yin-Yang gasped and ran to Ko...but Kamara got there first after setting her father down. She led Ko to Murlough, his hands behind his back and forced him to stand before the Vampaneze, his eyes filled with worry.

"Leave him alone!" Yin-Yang exclaimed, punching Kamara away from Kokujo.

"Yin-Yang!" Grim said holding up his scythe.

She turned and caught it when he tossed it to her. She raised the scythe and brought it down to cut through the fat neck of the Vampaneze Lord and end his life...when Kamara stood again and grabbed the scythe and tried pulling it away from Yin-Yang. They pulled against the sickle for a few moments before Yin-Yang was finally able to get it from her. Quickly, she jammed the scythe into Kamara's stomach and then turned to Murlough. She kneeled next to him and sliced the scythe through his throat. While Kamara's pained grunting could barely be heard, Murlough's bloodcurdling scream echoed through the night; starting car alarms, making dogs howl, and cats screech. Yin-Yang turned to Grim.

"Dad; you think you can get rid of their bodies?" she asked sternly.

"Yeah...you guys go inside, I'll take care of this...uh...and pack your stuff too...We're leaving after I'm done okay?" Grim replied taking his scythe back as they walked into the house.

Yin-Yang walked to Kokujo's room and picked up the suitcase she's kept her new and old clothes in and took it to the living room to find Ko sitting there, a saddened expression on his face. She walked over to him and sat with him.

"Why aren't you packed yet?" she asked.

"You said I couldn't come back with you remember?" he replied.

"It's okay now Ko...you can come back with us now that Murlough's gone..." she said sweetly.

"Really?" he asked sitting up a little.

She nodded and stood again.

"I'll go get your stuff packed...you just relax..." she said walking back to his room.

She took out another suitcase and started packing away his clothes; black jeans, red shirts, and a few extra black capes...as well as a few 'unmentionables'. She then took the suitcase back out to the living room and set it down with hers before cuddling up to him, smiling.

"I love you..." she said smiling and closing her eyes.

He smiled and blushed before wrapping his arms around her and replying, "I love you too."

She smiled even wider and nuzzled him as her father walked in.

"Okay; I'm taking the bodies back with us so we can bury them at home...but all the blood's been cleaned up, in fact, they're already in the Darkness Lands, so we're all ready to go," he explained.

Yin-Yang smiled and took the two suitcases and led Ko to the door and through the portal. She set the suitcases down on her kitchen floor and kissed him when he walked through after her. Yin-Yang pulled away, looking thoughtful and looked around, hearing a deep panting. She turned back to Ko only to have something stab into her back. She gasped and grunted as the knife was pulled from her back and Kamara finally collapsed on the floor, dead. Ko kneeled to the ground with Yin-Yang, his eyes wide. Grim had finally made it through the portal and was at Yin-Yang's side instantly.

"Yin-Yang! Yin-Yang, are you alright? Speak to me..." he said.

She couldn't answer though. That knife had gone through her heart, so even if they could get her to a hospital, it wouldn't help...both knew she was dead for sure, but neither could accept it...She closed her eyes as her soul finally left her to travel to Paradise, but, seeing as how she was in the company of the Grim Reaper, they could see her and she was able to gently kiss Ko good-bye before she disappeared. Kokujo put a hand to his lips and stared sadly down at Yin-Yang.

"DAMN IT!" Grim yelled, slamming his fist into a wall. "THAT'S MY DAUGHTER! MY CHILD! THAT'S MY GIRL!" he cried cutting Kamara's body up into little pieces.

Ko could only stare at Yin-Yang lifeless form, unable to accept the fact that she was now gone forever.

After a few hours of ranting, Grim had finally calmed down.

He sighed, turning to Kokujo.

"Here...I'll make you a portal to go home alright?" he asked, holding up his scythe.

"No..." Ko replied sadly.

Grim looked to him, confused.

"I'm staying here...if you'll allow it..." Ko explained.

Grim nodded. "You can have Yin-Yang's room if you'd like. I know you two were gonna share that room anyway..." he said sadly, taking the two bags to Yin-Yang's (now Kokujo's) room and setting them down on her (his) bed.

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**A/N: There it was! I told ya it was gonna be sad! But anyways at least I'm finished with the story! I'm uploading the final chapter as we speak! L8R! Don't forget to review!**


	28. Chapter 11: Bedtime Story

**A/N: ok, THE shortest chapt. in this besides the Prologues. I've been braindead so don't hate me if the ending sux, I just thought this was a kinda cute way to end it! You'll find out why! Anywho, please R&R! Thanx a bunches!**

**Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing!**

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 11: Bedtime Story

It had been a few months since Yin-Yang had died, and neither Rei nor Kokujo had been coping well...neither would ever be alone...she'd stay with him and Uncle Grimmy most of the time. They were the last connection to her elder cousin she had. She would play with Ko each day (when he wasn't busy ruling over the Darkness Lands) and would even crawl into his bed when she had a nightmare. She'd cuddle with the little plushie often...savoring the fact that it was Yin-Yang's favorite doll.

At Yin-Yang's funeral, she'd clung to Kokujo's leg, crying. He'd picked her up and had held her to him while she cried. After the funeral, things had gone back to normal for them (whatever normal for them may be) and life went on. Ko would tuck Rei in late at night and tell her stories. Tonight...he had a different kind of story in mind.

"Ko?" Rei asked timidly as the elder boy was walking out of the room.

"Hmm," he turned to her to find her sitting up.

"Could you tell me a story?" she asked.

He smiled and closed the door, walking back into the room and sitting down on her bed.

"Of course...let's see..." he replied, thinking of a story he could tell her.

"Once upon a time...there were five duelists, and four Princes who were walking throughout the Darkness Civilization lands looking for its ruler," he began.

**A/N: Ok, now tell me that wasn't a cute ending! Come on! I thought it was kinda ironic, that this whole story was technically told by Kokujo! HAH! XD! Isn't that a fun idea? Now come on! Anyway, revriew me and tell me if ya liked it! L8R! Oh, and tell me if I chould make a sequal! I was thinking about it and thought, why not leave it up to the fans! XD! Anyway, again, review!**


	29. Pt III: Ch 1: Reunions & Bitter News

**A/N: Okay, I know people who still read this are mad cus I wrote a sequal to Dark Insanity, but I have good reason. My friend Egyptian Wolf(E.W.) and I wrote that up and she wanted me to put it in my section b/c I already had the first in mine. I also hadn't thought of a sequal for this story. So, instead of writing a 'sequal', I'm just going to continue with it. Review if ya still like this! I hope you guys do!**

**Also to the person who e-mailed me about this, I'm sorry I didn't reply. I just got home from Kansas after 2 weeks and was bombarded with e-mails and accidentally deleted it. Anywho, if you still need to talk to me and ask me things, e-mail me again, or leave a review. I'm sorry I deleted it and made you possibly feel like I was ignoring you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Duel Masters, the Vampaneze, or any other reference to anything else you might find in this.**

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Part III

Unwanted Betrothal

Chapter 1: Reunion and Bitter News

In the dark recesses of the Darkness Civilization Land, a dark figure with purple, flame-like hair led the P.L.O.O.Ps towards the home of the Grim Reaper (A..K.A; Death, or Grim.) A blond, scarecrow-looking P.L.O.O.P adorned a sad frown and tears. Still mourning the loss of his betrothed exactly one year ago, Prince Irving hadn't been right. The purple haired P.L.O.O.P wore an evil smirk as he trotted up to the huge black doors.

Inside the castle, Death watch with a dark gaze as the P.L.O.O.Ps entered his home unannounced. Turning back to his late wife's room, he sighed and walked up to a special coffin he'd made for his daughter who'd been murdered the year before.

"I suppose it's time to awaken the Queen of Darkness," he uttered, raising his scythe. "Mama-say-mama-saw-mama-koo-so! Mama-say-mama-saw-mama-koo-so! Mama-say-mama-saw-mama-koo-so!" he cried in a Jamaican voice as he held his sickle in front of him and pushed and pulled it from and to his bony body.

In the throne room, Kyoshiro Kokujo was sitting with Rei-Rei, playing with her and making her laugh before a bunch of P.L.O.O.Ps burst through the door. Standing as they waltzed up to him, Ko glared and addressed them as Rei-Rei followed suite.

"What the hell are you bastards doing here!" he demanded.

The man with the purple hair said nothing and only snapped his fingers. Ko and Rei were jerked back a second later by Eugene and Irving, and were dragged away from Yin-Yang's throne.

"What the hell-!" Ko yelled as he was turned to face the violet-haired man.

"I am Prince Maurice the Merciless," the man announced, "and I am taking my rightful place and king of the Darkness Civilization Lands."

"What!" Ko and Rei yelled in unison.

"You can't do that! This was my cousin's home! Not yours! Uncle Grimmy will make sure you and you P.L.O.O.Ps have no chance here!" Rei proclaimed.

"Hmph. Like that old bag of bones can do anything...These lands shall be mine," Maurice replied.

In his wife's room however, 'that old bag of bones' was kneeling before a glowing coffin, as the preserved corpse opened her eyes and arose from her slumber. Sitting up and taking a deep breath, she swung her legs over the side of the coffin and smiled evilly as she stood.

"Welcome back," Death said in a hazy voice, "We have...unwanted visitors...the P.L.O.O.Ps, I'm afraid. One of them, not Irving, seems to want the Darkness Lands for himself."

Yin-Yang smiled evilly and walked out of her mother's room and waltzed down to her throne room. Ignoring her cousin, Kokujo and Eugene and Irving, she set her sights on Maurice, who was ordering Ko and Rei be put in the dungeon till death.

"Yin-Yang is no longer here to save you!" Maurice cried out, "And with you all out of the way I can take the Darkness Lands for my own."

"There's only one flaw in your plan," Yin-Yang whispered in his ear.

"What's that?" Maurice whispered in return, thinking it was his conscious or something.

"There's someone who can still stop you," she uttered.

"Who?" Maurice hissed with wide eyes.

"Me," she mewled, "I'm baaaaack..." she whispered, smiling and laughing manically.

Maurice jumped from his seat and out of his skin to better look at the corpse. She looked the same as she had before she'd died. Her skin had not decayed since she'd passed do to the special coffin her father had made her, but it was still deathly pale and even looked skeletal. Raising her hand to the P.L.O.O.Ps, she spoke in a gravely quiet voice.

"Let them go," she ordered.

They released Ko and Rei instantly.

"And you," she continued, turning to Maurice, "I want you to leave. Now!"

Maurice took off in an instant, not daring to look back.

"Hey Yin-Yang," Death said walking in, "Looks like you've got things under control again."

Yin-Yang smiled and said nothing as she walked down to Ko and Rei. Picking Rei up, she laughed lightly as Rei felt her face to make sure she was real. After making sure, Rei threw her arms around her cousin before being set down again.

"Rei-Rei, you've grown in the past year...gone through the purge have you?" Yin-Yang asked, stroking her chin.

Rei nodded happily. Yin-Yang turned back to Kokujo and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him warmly before pulling away quickly.

"I missed you," she whispered, taking his hands, "I was watching you from Paradise and knew you missed me too."

Ko only nodded, still in shock.

"Yin-Yang, I hate to break up your favorite reunion, but we got a problem," Death informed walking over to them.

Yin-Yang pulled away from Ko before turning to Irving and Eugene.

"You're right," she replied, "They're still here."

"Actually, Irving can stay, only Eugene has to go," Death corrected.

"Why's that?" Yin-Yang asked.

"Cuz what I have to tell you concerns Irving," Grim replied.

Yin-Yang glared, but shooed Eugene away and followed her father as he led her, Kokujo, Rei-Rei and Prince Irving into his Study. As they came upon the door to the study, Ko found he could speak again.

"H-how are you-I mean-How did-How did you-?" he stuttered, still in slight shock, "-I mean-I saw you being buried!"

Yin-Yang turned and smiled gently at him.

"I suppose I should explain," she said in a gentle, soothing voice she's never used...ever. "As you know, my father controls spirits, whether alive or dead. He can bring any being back to life (with the exception of my Darkness Civilization creatures), but only if the body is present."

"I created a coffin with my scythe's powers that would preserve her body until I could bring her back," Death explained, "I had to fake her funeral and then dig up her body at night and transport it back into her mother's room."

"Couldn't you have brought her back right after she died?" Ko asked.

"If she had been human yes," Grim agreed, "But Yin-Yang is a half-vampire who lived a good life in the end. Vampire spirits who've lived good lives go directly to Paradise, which is the vampire equivalent to Heaven. Yin-Yang went to Paradise with her mom. Although, vampires who've lived bad lives, remain on earth as ghosts...which is how Murlough came back," he finished, muttering.

After a silence of giving Death a 'don't-give-me-that-shit' look, Yin-Yang finished for him.

"Paradise is above Heaven, so a vampire spirit can only visit earth or be brought back to life on the anniversary of their death, which is why we bring my mother back to visit once every year."

Ko looked a trifle confused, but nodded in basic understanding before following them into the Study.

"Okay dad what did ya need?" Yin-Yang asked, taking a seat and propping her feet up on the desk.

"Actually," he began, turning to Kokujo and Rei-Rei, "You guys don't wanna hear this yet okay? I need to speak with these two alone."

Yin-Yang furrowed her brow and gave Grim a look of concern as Ko shrugged and led Rei out of the room.

"I have a feeling I'm not gonna like what you're about to tell me if they had to leave the room and I have to be in a room alone with you two," she observed standing up.

"Yin-Yang, sit back down, you're right, you won't like this," Grim said walking over to the desk.

"I'm content with standing," she snapped.

"Alright," Grim said in a voice that silently screamed, I'm gonna get killed for this as he drew a document from the many papers on the desk and handing it to her, "You might wanna look over this first, then I'll explain."

Yin-Yang's eyes traveled over the document, but only the first three words in bold letters stuck out to her:

**Decree of Betrothal**

Looking up at her father and then glaring at Irving who was beside him, she snapped in a cold voice, "Hell. No."

"Let me explain-" Death began.

"What is there to explain?" she yelled, slapping her fists and the paper down on the desk.

"Irving's parents, your mother, and I wrote that up when you both were younger—we didn't realize till later what a bad idea it was—but that contract is also legally binding. I deal with legal stuff all the time and my lawyer would have my non-existent ass on a plate if he found out we weren't following through with that," Grim explained.

"Why does it even matter? You're **Death**! You don't have to take orders like that!" Yin-Yang exclaimed.

"What are we talking about anyway-?" Irving asked, making his presence known again.

"Stay out of it!" Yin-Yang snapped back.

"Yin-Yang, if there were a way around this, I'd certainly have found and issued it, but there isn't. Your mother and I put a special bind on that which ensues that it must be followed," Grim continued.

Now Yin-Yang looked like she was going to cry.

"But dad," she choked, "why do I have to force Kokujo to leave myself?"

"We figured if there were any guests staying here when and if we found that, if it had been lost, that were better looking than Irving (which is now any other human being on the planet) we had to have _you_ send that guest away," Death replied with a sigh, ignoring the glare Irving gave him for the snide comment, "It **his** parent's idea!"

"But why do I have to do this so soon?" Yin-Yang sobbed in return.

"I don't know, that was his parent's idea too," Grim responded jabbing a bony thumb at Irving, "You'd have to ask his mother about it."

"But Kokujo still doesn't know **anything** about being a half vampire," she complained, "What if something happens to him that he can't control or he doesn't know what to do—like the purge?"

"Yin-Yang you just have to explain it to him the best you can," Death offered, "Why don't you go meditate on this while I explain all of this to Irving?"

Without giving him an answer, Yin-Yang was running out the door and sobbing softly to herself. Ko and Rei-Rei were waiting in her room and were sorely surprised when she bolted in and ran straight for the portal to her mind. Standing, the two ran after her, afraid something had happened. Following her to the Astral Plane, they lost her. Ko told Rei to wait at her meditation area when they stopped there and proceeded to the hill where he and Yin-Yang would sit. Walking up to her, he sat down and gave her a look of confusion.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying like this?" he asked.

"It's nothing," she lied.

She didn't want to tell him yet. It hurt enough knowing she had to get rid of him like she didn't want him.

"Than why are you crying?" he pressed wiping a tear from her cheek.

Yin-Yang blushed, but said nothing and looked away, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head against them.

"Yin-Yang, what's wrong? Please tell me," he said taking her hand and placing his other hand on her shoulder to hold her against him.

"Do you have any questions about being a half vampire?" she asked, changing the subject.

Ko glared at the ground, but figured it best to drop the last subject.

"Yes," he sighed. "You said something to Rei about a 'purge'—what is that?"

"It's half-vampire puberty really," she explained, "Once every few years, a half-vampire will go through the purge, which is the condition where your vampire cells take over your human cells."

"'Condition?'" he asked.

"During the purge, you will experience suddenbursts of energy, almost unbearable headaches, your sight, hearing, and sense of smell will all be heightened to a point where you have to blindfold yourself and plug up your nose and ears. For male half-vampires, the first stage is when you grow hair on every inch of your body. It's easily shaved away, but it's a good thing to know about if you wake up looking like Bigfoot. After all of those symptoms, you will probably be a full vampire. Although it's very possible that you remain only half," she finished.

Ko looked like a D average student who'd just been introduced to the Pythagorean Theorem.

"Okay...is there anything elseI really need to know?" he asked, still looking confused.

"Yes...you, nor I, can ever have children," she explained, blushing a little.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"Vampire men, whether half or full blooded, are sterile and vampire women are barren. Our kind cannot have children," she explained.

"Okay, I'm gonna sound like Shobu, but if your mother couldn't have children, how **did** she have you?"

"Do you remember that heart-shaped watch my mother had?" she asked.

Ko nodded.

"She'd received it from someone after he'd given her a potion that would allow her to have a child, once and only once for that particular family. They never knew his name and neither do I."

"Than how did Rei-Rei come to be?"

"I did that. She'd made the decision that she wanted to be like me and live long like me when she was about five and I turned her into a half-vampire. Her parents weren't thrilled, but understood that Rei wanted to be like her older cousin and only had to give up human mortality to do so, which in retrospect isn't really that bad.

"Is there anything else you needed to know?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied sitting back and gazing up at the stars, "why were you so sad earlier?"

Yin-Yang gave him a saddened look and sighed.

"You have to leave," she uttered.

"What?" he asked, sitting up straight again, "Why?"

"My father found a document that cemented the betrothal...it also decrees, however, that any male guest in my home must leave post haste," she was crying now and had looked away, "and I can never see you again."

* * *

**A/N: YAY! She's back! But is it really the happy ending she thought she'd have? Maybe you outta stay tuned for my next chapter if ya wanna find out what they're gonna do! Also, suggestions are welcome. Without them,it might take weeks to get a new chapter up. Review please!**


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